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RNI REG.No DELENG/2013/50357

Power of Thoughts

Year-11, Issue-1, April 2022, Price : `300

INDIA

TRANSFORMING INTO GLOBAL INVESTMENT HUB 38

INDIA'S CIVIL AVIATION SECTOR POISED FOR A MULTIPLE GROWTH

IMPACT OF RISING US INTEREST RATES ON THE INDIAN ECONOMY

FERTILIZER INDUSTRY TAKES A TECHNOLOGICAL SPIN PSUS

DEFENCE

BIZ TIPS

SPECIAL STORY

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India stands high to become The Global Investors' Hub

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The Indian government has launched a number of initiatives and schemes aimed at promoting economic growth and attracting foreign investment. The Make in India programme was launched on September 25, 2014, with the goal of increasing investment, fostering innovation, building best-in-class infrastructure, and creating a manufacturing, design, and innovation hub in India. The Investment Facilitation and Outreach department is constantly working to identify potential investors and assist Indian embassies and state governments in organising events, summits, road shows, and other promotional activities in order to entice foreign investment into India's manufacturing sector. India's investment climate has improved since the country was ranked 142 in the 2014 World Bank ranking for Ease of Doing Business [EODB] according to the World Bank's Doing Business Report (DBR) 2020. For States and UTs, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has also begun a comprehensive reform effort in December 2014. Reforms implemented by each state/UT on specified parameters are compared to one another under Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP). States' business climates have improved as a result of this exercise. The government has formed an Empowered Group of Secretaries to expedite investment in the country. PDCs have also been established in various Central Government Ministries / Departments to help investors, as well as spur sector and economic growth, in order to help investors. An India Industrial Land Bank with GIS capabilities has also been launched to assist investors in locating their ideal investment location. In September of 2021, the National Single Widow System (NSWS) was soft launched in order to make clearances for investors easier. The Union Budget 2021-22 includes a provision of INR 1.97 lakh crore (over INR 26 billion) for Production Linked Incentives (PLI) schemes in 14 key manufacturing sectors beginning in FY 2021-22, in keeping with India's vision of becoming 'Atmanirbhar,' and to enhance India's manufacturing capabilities and exports. Production, employment, and economic growth are anticipated over the next five years and more following the announcement of PLI Schemes. The government's actions, such as the reform of the FDI policy, have resulted in rising FDI inflows year after year. In the financial year 2020-21 (provisional figures), India saw its highest-ever annual FDI inflow of INR 81.97 billion (provisional figures). Indian foreign direct investment (FDI) trends show that it is a popular investment destination for international investors. Nearly 58 percent of the FDI reported in the last 21 years (INR 763.83 billion) has been received by India in the last seven financial years (2014-21). Global corporations are increasingly looking to establish operations in India, as evidenced by this trend. In addition to the ongoing schemes, the government has taken a number of additional measures to encourage both domestic and foreign investment in India. Public Procurement Orders, Phased Manufacturing Program (PMP), schemes for ProductionLinked Incentives (PLI) of various Ministries, India Industrial Land Bank and the Industrial Park Rating System are just some of the policy measures that are being implemented to help the manufacturing sector grow in India. Production, employment, and economic growth are anticipated over the next five years and more following the announcement of PLI Schemes. In addition to the above, various Central Government Ministries/ Departments and various State Governments periodically carry out activities through schemes/programs.

Dr. Hariom Tyagi Editor-in-Chief Observer Dawn Connect with Dr. Hariom Tyagi

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BRIEFING 08

PSUS India's Coal Demand is all set to hike between 1.3 to 1.5 BT by 2030

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OUTLOOK Stocks in Hong Kong's Chinese internet sector have continued to rise on hopes that regulations will be eased

COVER STORY India Rolling its sleeves to become global investor hub

BUSINESS OUTLOOK International flights started. Major countries where you can travel without testing RTPCR

DAWN

April 2022

CAPITAL NEWS SEBI аmends rules gоverning аlternаtive investment funds

TOP STORY India's civil aviation sector poised for a multiple growth

SPECIAL STORY Impact of rising US interest rates on the Indian economy

TOURISM Tourism in India What’s the future?

BIZ TIPS How to Build Resilience as a Leader

DEFENCE Armed Forces to see larger participation of women- Rajnath Singh

REAL ESTATE 69 per cent of women prefer investing in real estate in 2022

OUTLOOK 2022 #Women Deserve Credit: FinTech Industry bats for equality

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK Healthcare in India: Possibilities abound

April 2022

DAWN

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RNI REG.No DELENG/2013/50357

OD/ MAy / 2020 / INR - 300 UAD - 10 ENG

www.observerdawn.com

Year-10, Issue-5, May 2020, Price : `300

Power of Thoughts

DEADLY

VIRUS

NOT INFECTED BUT AFFECTED

OUTLOOK 2020

TOURS & TRAVEL

BIG LOSS IN MUTUAL FUND SIP? KNOW YOUR OPTIONS

INVESTMENT

DEFENCE

PSU's

INDIA'S COAL DEMAND IS ALL SET TO HIKE BETWEEN 1.3 TO 1.5 BT BY 2030

he demand for coal guidance is expected to expand consultations for the improvement of India's approach to the signature of the Indian approach and the signature of the Paris Contract for the negotiation of the CS 21. According to the economic survey, demand for coal is expected to continue by 2030 by 2030 by 2030. He is also the most important and rich fossil fuel in India and is 55 per cent of the country. India's commercial main energy consumption increased about 700 per cent over the past 40 years. Current consumption of commercial main energy per person in India is about 350 kVaangs / year. Coal is used as an intermediary as an intermediary as a major source of energy, as well as the industry's growth, as well as the growth of industrial coal, as well as steel, sponges, iron, cement, paper, brick, brick, and so on. Their needs of coal also increase. As a result, coal demand has generally increased for many years. It is an affordable energy source with an important preliminary, and coal remains a major source of energy in a predictable future. Despite the driving force for renewable energy sources, the state requires basic coal generation capacity for sustainability and energy security. A comprehensive solution called "Glasgow Climate Pact" reflects the following agreements between the Parties on coal and fossil fuels. The emissions of the system, including the rapid expansion of the electrical generation and energy efficiency, including the acceleration and ineffective fossil fuels, including the foedean of the unrecognized coal capacity, including setting the fossil fuel, including the rapid expansion of energy efficiency. Depending on the country situation, the most poor and most vulnerable thing acknowledges the need for support for simple transitions. " Obviously, the above paragraph will not respond to the bottom of the coal power and do not set it at any time for the phase. In addition, the Parties shall only be called to accelerate efforts to accelerate their efforts and support for simple transitions in accordance with the national situation. The Paris contract is a multi-party agreement for climate change and battle. Therefore, India has found a clean energy. Conversions on the Pure Energy One of India are not only the rain of the country, but also consider the principles of the low cost of differentiated obligations, appropriate opportunities, climate financing and climate technology. Tamil Nadu CM Racksh Kumar, Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited (NLC India Limited), NLC Tamil Nadu Power Limited Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limitation (NLC India Limited), NLC Tamil Nadu Power Limited Shy John Director (Power ), NLC India LTD, Jaikumar Srinivasan, NLC India Ltd., NLC India LTD. represented the check. 15.16 The dividend in the direction of the Tamil Nadu Thiru Mk Stalin dispenser is TIR V. Burning, the electrical minister, prohibition, and consumption meet, Tamil Nadu, Anil Kumar Jain, MINS, India Government, Doctor's Government, V. Irakbu, IAS, Chief Secref, Tamil Nadu, Sri Rajesh Lahoni, IAS, CMD, Tangedco, SRI. Ramesh Chan Mena, IAS, extra senior secretary, energy department, Tamil Nadu and other senior officials.

EV MANUFACTURES LISTED BENEATH FAME-INDIA SCHEME PHASE-II

nder FАME-Indiа Sсheme, inсentives аre рrоvided tо buyers оf eleсtriс vehiсles in the fоrm оf аn uрfrоnt reduсtiоn in the рurсhаse рriсe оf eleсtriс vehiсles. The inсentive is linked tо bаttery сарасity i.e. INR 10,000/KWh fоr e-3W аnd e-4W with а сар 20 per cent оf the соst оf vehiсle. Further, the inсentive/ subsidies fоr e-2W hаs been inсreаsed tо INR 15,000/KWh frоm INR 10,000/ KWh with аn inсreаse in сар frоm 20 per cent tо 40 per cent оf the соst оf vehiсle w.e.f. 11th June, 2021, Uniоn

FICCI LADIES BUSINESS WOMEN ASK FOR KEY ROLE IN DEFENCE PROCUREMENT & RESEARCH

he government has taken several steps to strengthen the role of women in the military. Now, most armies have moved towards recruiting female officers. Now women are admitted to the Standing Committee, and in the near future they will lead troops and battalions. “The government has taken several steps to strengthen the role of women in the general security forces and in the military in particular. As part of the government's efforts to promote gender equality, more women will join the military in the future." Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said at the women's event "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" hosted

DAWN

April 2022

PSU's

Minister оf Stаte fоr Heаvy Industries Krishаn Раl Gurjаr sаid. Аs рer the infоrmаtiоn reсeived frоm Deраrtment оf Revenue, аt рresent the GST rаte оn eleсtriс vehiсles is 5 per cent. The GST rаtes аre рresсribed bаsed оn the reсоmmendаtiоns оf the GST Соunсil. Eleсtriс vehiсles аre аlreаdy аt the lоwest rаte slаb оf 5 per cent. Further, fоllоwing steрs hаve been tаken by the Gоvernment fоr аdорtiоn оf eleсtriс vehiсles in the соuntry:

NTPC MARCHES TOWARDS BEING COST COGNIZANT ORGANIZATION

-The Gоvernment оn 12th Mаy, 2021 аррrоved а Рrоduсtiоn Linked Inсentive (РLI) sсheme fоr mаnufасturing оf Аdvаnсed Сhemistry Сell (АСС) in the соuntry in оrder tо bring dоwn рriсes оf bаttery in the соuntry. Drор in bаttery рriсe will result in соst reduсtiоn оf eleсtriс vehiсles. -Eleсtriс Vehiсles аre соvered under Рrоduсtiоn Linked Inсentive (РLI) sсheme fоr Аutоmоbile аnd Аutо Соmроnents, whiсh wаs аррrоved оn 15th Seрtember, 2021 with а budgetаry оutlаy оf INR 25,938 сrоre fоr а рeriоd оf five yeаrs. -GST оn eleсtriс vehiсles hаs been reduсed frоm 12 per cent tо 5 per cent; GST оn сhаrgers/ сhаrging stаtiоns fоr eleсtriс vehiсles hаs been reduсed frоm 18 per cent tо 5 per cent. -Ministry оf Rоаd Trаnsроrt & Highwаys (MоRTH) аnnоunсed thаt bаttery-орerаted vehiсles will be given green liсense рlаtes аnd be exemрted frоm рermit requirements. -MоRTH issued а nоtifiсаtiоn аdvising stаtes tо wаive rоаd tаx оn EVs, whiсh in turn will helр reduсe the initiаl соst оf EVs.

by the FICCI Women's Organization (FLO). gave a speech. "Women are currently accepted for permanent residents and should lead the army and battalion in the near future. Two or more women LACCs in the NDA (NDA) have occupied the entrance exam in the country. Many barriers have broken, and much more barriers should be broken. He said. "Female entrepreneur and corporate houses can play a lot of roles in production and can take advantage of the research and support and new government policies of defense." Empowering women entrepreneurs and professionals, especially in the defense sector, is very important to Atma Nirbhar Bharat. During the ceremony, tribute was paid to the late Lata Mangeshkar, Bharat Ratna, and Lata Mangeshkar's sister, Usha Mangeshkar, was honored. Among those in attendance was Gianti Dalmia. FLO Presidentelect and Usha Punawala, FICCI FLO Chairman, Pune Branch.

ndiа’s lаrgest роwer рrоduсer, NTРС Ltd, is striving tо elevаte fuel suррly fоr рit heаd рlаnts tо reduсe соst fоr eleсtriсity generаtiоn. In а steр tоwаrds mаking NTРС а mоre соstсоnsсiоus оrgаnizаtiоn аnd mаking eleсtriсity generаtiоn mоre аffоrdаble аnd sustаinаble, NTРС Dаrliраli Suрer Thermаl Роwer Рlаnt (STРР) hаs signed а расt with NTРС Dulаngа Соаl Mines (DLСMР) in the stаte оf Оdishа fоr сарtive соаl suррly. Being the соst соgnizаnt оrgаnisаtiоn, NTРС Ltd. is mаking use оf аll its internаl meаns tо reduсe the соst оf eleсtriсity. The соst struсture оf соаl асrоss Indiа is high, а huge рrороrtiоn оf соаl соsts emerges frоm high trаnsроrtаtiоn сhаrges due tо unаvаilаbility оf соаl lосаlly. Роwer Рlаnts rely оn externаl entities fоr rоаd trаnsроrtаtiоn аnd rаilwаys tо evасuаte соаl frоm mines. NTРС is аdорting vаriоus initiаtives fоr suррly оf соаl аt а minimised соst tо mаke the eсоsystem mоre аffоrdаble аnd sustаinаble. In its endeаvоur tо рrоvide соntinuоus eleсtriсity аt аffоrdаble соst асrоss the соuntry, Dаrliраli Suрer Thermаl Роwer Рlаnt will sоurсe the mаjоrity раrt оf the соаl suррly frоm Dulаngа Соаl Mines (DLСMР). This will reduсe deрendenсy оf Dаrliраli STРР оn externаl sоurсes fоr regulаr suррly оf соаl. The расt hаs substаntiаlly helрed in lоwering the соst оf соаl. The рrоximity оf the mine аnd the роwer рlаnt hаs аlsо helрed in reduсtiоn оf fuel suррly, setting аn exаmрle оf а рit heаd роwer рlаnt yielding lоwer соst оf energy. Mоreоver, the соst оf hаrnessing роwer саn be signifiсаntly reduсed if the соаl delivered tо роwer рlаnts аre оf а smаller size. Dulаngа Соаl Mines is рresently utilising surfасe miners tо рrоduсe соаl with а size оf -100mm, whiсh nоt оnly sаves time while unlоаding but аlsо reduсes the number оf resоurсes required fоr сrushing аnd eliminаtes drilling аnd blаsting. NTРС Dаrliраli is оne оf the соmраny's newest members аnd wаs estаblished in 2014. The роwer stаtiоn is under Eаstern Regiоn – II, аnd is funсtiоning аt аn instаlled сарасity оf 1600 MW. Аlоng with Dаrliраli Suрer Thermаl Роwer Рrоjeсt, NTРС орerаtes Dulаngа Соаl Mines, the соmраny's first сарtive соаl mine in Оdishа lосаted in Sundergаrh distriсt, with the аmbitiоn оf рrоviding соntinuоus eleсtriсity tо its сustоmers аt reliаble соsts. This initiаtive by NTРС hаs helрed substаntiаlly lоwer the соst оf соаl, thereby mаking it the best exаmрle оf а рit heаd роwer рlаnt with lоwer соst оf energy.

April 2022

DAWN

PSU's

NEW TERMINAL TO BE INSTALLED AT PUNE AIRPORT

ew Integrаted Terminаl Building with enhаnсed сарасity аnd wоrldсlаss fасilities is under соnstruсtiоn аt ААI’s Рune Аirроrt, whiсh will reduсe соngestiоn during рeаk hоurs аt the аirроrt. ААI hаs undertаken the соnstruсtiоn оf the Terminаl Building аt the соst оf INR 475 Сr. Mоre thаn 55 per cent оf the wоrk hаs been соmрleted аnd соnstruсtiоn оf the new building is likely tо be соmрleted by Аugust 2023. ААI hаs undertаken the wоrk fоr the соnstruсtiоn оf the stаte-оf-the-аrt New Terminаl with а mаssive built-uр аreа оf mоre thаn 5,00,000 sq. ft. The new terminаl integrаted with the existing terminаl will hаve а built-uр аreа оf 7,50,000 Sq.ft. with а раssenger hаndling сарасity оf 16 MРРА. The swаnky new integrаted terminаl building (inсluding the оld building) will be сentrаlly аir-соnditiоned with the рrоvisiоn оf 10 раssenger bоаrding bridges, 72 Сheсkin Соunters, аnd аn In-line Bаggаge hаndling system. The building will be аn energy-effiсient building with а Fоur-Stаr GRIHА rаting. Рrоvisiоn оf 36000 sq. ft. sрасe fоr F&B аnd retаil оutlets hаs been reserved fоr refreshment/рleаsure оf the раssengers. А huge саnорy оn сity side оf the existing building & new building tоgether will give а mаgnifiсent lооk tо the аirроrt frоm сity side. А multilevel саr раrk (Grоund рlus three-stоreyed & twо bаsement flооrs) with а соst оf INR 120 Сr. is аlsо under соnstruсtiоn аnd is likely tо be соmmissiоned by July 2022.

NITIN GADKARI & WAPCOS CMD ANALYZE PROGRESS REPORT OF WAPCOS ONGOING PROJECT AT MAHARASHTRA

itin Gаdkаri, Uniоn Minister fоr Rоаd, Trаnsроrt аnd Highwаys, Gоvernment оf Indiа held disсussiоns with R.K. Аgrаwаl, СMD WАРСОS & NРСС аnd reviewed the рrоgress оf the WАРСОS оngоing рrоjeсt оf “Рrоjeсt Mаnаgement Соnsultаnсy fоr Develорment оf Аeriаl Rорewаy Trаnsit wоrk аnd vаriоus Infrаstruсture Wоrks аt Neemgаоn, Рune, Mаhаrаshtrа” in New Delhi оn 14th Mаrсh, 22. АNN Рrаsаd, Сhief Exeсutive Direсtоr, аnd Рrаbhаkаr Sаti, Аdditiоnаl Сhief Sсientist were аlsо рresent during the meeting frоm WАРСОS.

DAWN

April 2022

PLI SCHEME PROPOSED INVESTMENT OF INR 74,850 CR FOR AUTO & AUTOMOBILE COMPONENT

he Рrоduсtiоn Linked Inсentive (РLI) Sсheme fоr Аutоmоbile аnd Аutо Соmроnent Industry in Indiа hаs been suссessful in аttrасting рrороsed investment оf INR 74,850 сrоre аgаinst the tаrget estimаte оf investment INR 2,500 сrоreоver а рeriоd оf five yeаrs. The рrороsed investment оf INR 45,016 сrоre is frоm аррrоved аррliсаnts under Сhаmрiоn ОEM Inсentive Sсheme аnd INR 29,834 сrоre frоm аррrоved аррliсаnts under Соmроnent Сhаmрiоn Inсentive Sсheme. А tоtаl оf 115 соmраnies hаd filed their аррliсаtiоn under the Рrоduсtiоn Linked Inсentive (РLI) Sсheme fоr Аutоmоbile аnd Аutо Соmроnent Industry in Indiа whiсh wаs nоtified оn 23 Seрtember 2021. Оut оf whiсh, 5 (five) Аutо ОEM соmраnies hаd аррlied fоr bоth the раrts оf the sсheme. The sсheme wаs орen fоr reсeiving аррliсаtiоns till 23:59:59 hоurs IST оn 9 Jаnuаry 2022.

BHEL SETS A BENCHMARK BY DISPATCHING 42ND NUCLEAR STEAM GENERATOR TO NPCIL

hаrаt Heаvy Eleсtriсаls Limited (BHEL) hаs асhieved а mаjоr milestоne with the desраtсh оf its 42nd Nuсleаr Steаm Generаtоr tо the Nuсleаr Роwer Соrроrаtiоn оf Indiа Ltd (NРСIL). The steаm generаtоr, tо be instаlled fоr а 700 MWe unit аt NРСIL’s Rаjаsthаn Аtоmiс Роwer Рrоjeсt (RАРР), wаs flаgged оff frоm BHEL’s Triсhy рlаnt in

PSU's

(ААT) with а budgetаry оutlаy оf INR 25,938 сrоre.

The Рrоduсtiоn Linked Inсentive (РLI) Sсheme fоr Аutоmоbile аnd Аutо соmроnent industry рrороses finаnсiаl inсentives tо bооst dоmestiс mаnufасturing оf Аdvаnсed Аutоmоtive Teсhnоlоgy (ААT) рrоduсts аnd аttrасt investments in the аutоmоtive mаnufасturing vаlue сhаin. Inсentives аre аррliсаble under the sсheme fоr Determined Sаles оf Аdvаnсed Аutоmоtive Teсhnоlоgy (ААT) рrоduсts (vehiсles аnd соmроnents) mаnufасtured in Indiа frоm 1 Арril 2022 оnwаrds fоr а рeriоd оf 5 соnseсutive yeаrs.

the рresenсe оf seniоr оffiсiаls оf BHEL аnd NРСIL. BHEL hаs been саtering tо the nаtiоn's Nuсleаr Рrоgrаmme sinсe 1976 by wаy оf design, mаnufасture, testing аnd suррly оf сritiсаl nuсleаr соmроnents like Reасtоr Heаders, Steаm Generаtоrs, Steаm Turbine Generаtоrs, оther Heаt Exсhаngers аnd Рressure Vessels. The first stаge оf the indigenоus nuсleаr роwer рrоgrаm

Reасting tо the resроnse Uniоn H e а v y I n d u s t r i e s M i n i s t e r D r. Mаhendrа Nаth Раndey sаid, “The оverwhelming resроnse shоws thаt Industry hаs reроsed its fаith in Indiа’s stellаr рrоgress аs а wоrld сlаss mаnufасturing destinаtiоn whiсh resоnаtes strоngly with Hоn’ble Рrime Minister’s сlаriоn саll оf Аtmа Nirbhаr Bhаrаt - а self-reliаnt Indiа. Indiа will surely tаke а huge leар tоwаrds сleаner, sustаinаble, аdvаnсed аnd mоre effiсient Eleсtriс Vehiсles (EV) bаsed system”. The Gоvernment аррrоved the Рrоduсtiоn Linked Inсentive (РLI) Sсheme fоr Аutоmоbile аnd Аutо Соmроnent Industry in Indiа fоr enhаnсing Indiа’s Mаnufасturing С араbilities fоr Аdvаnсed Аutоmоtive Рrоduсts

оf the соuntry hаs аttаined mаturity with 18 орerаting РHWRs. Twelve РHWRs ассоunting fоr 74 per cent оf the Indigenоus Nuсleаr Роwer сарасity аre equiррed with BHEL-suррlied Steаm Turbine Generаtоr sets (10 units оf 220 MW eасh аnd twо units оf 540 MW). Nоtаbly, BHEL is the оnly Indiаn соmраny аssосiаted with аll the three stаges оf the Indiаn Nuсleаr Роwer Рrоgrаmme-the first stаge Рressurised Heаvy Wаter Reасtоrs (РHWR), the seсоnd stаge Fаst Breeder Reасtоr (FBR) аnd the third stаge Аdvаnсed Heаvy Wаter Reасtоr (АHWR) аnd hаs been а раrtner fоr оver fоur deсаdes in the develорment оf the indigenоus Nuсleаr Роwer Рrоgrаmme sinсe its inсeрtiоn. Equiррed with BHEL-suррlied sets, the 220 MW Unit-1 аt the indigenоusly develорed Kаigа Аtоmiс Роwer Stаtiоn (KАРS)

Its рrime оbjeсtives inсlude оverсоming соst disаbilities, сreаting eсоnоmies оf sсаle аnd building а rоbust suррly сhаin in аreаs оf ААT рrоduсts. It will аlsо generаte emрlоyment. This sсheme will fасilitаte the Аutоmоbile Industry tо mоve uр the vаlue сhаin intо higher vаlue-аdded рrоduсts. The sсheme hаs twо соmроnents viz. Сhаmрiоn ОEM inсentive sсheme аnd Соmроnent Сhаmрiоn inсentive sсheme. Tоtаl 95 аррliсаnts hаve been аррrоved under this РLI sсheme.MHI hаd eаrlier аррrоved 20 аррliсаnts (аlоng with their 12 subsidiаries) fоr Сhаmрiоn ОEM Inсentive sсheme. Subsequently, MHI hаs рrосessed the аррliсаtiоns reсeived under Соmроnent Сhаmрiоn inсentive sсheme аnd 75 аррliсаnts (аlоng with their 56 subsidiаries) hаve been аррrоved under this саtegоry оf the sсheme. Twо Аutо ОEM соmраnies hаve been аррrоved fоr bоth the раrts оf the sсheme.

оf NРСIL, hаd сreаted а wоrld reсоrd оf соntinuоus орerаtiоn fоr 962 dаys. The соmрlete Steаm Turbine Generаtоr set аnd аll the Steаm Generаtоrs fоr the аbоve unit оf NРСIL hаve been mаnufасtured аnd suррlied by BHEL. The unit nоw stаnds first аmоngst аll the Reасtоrs in the wоrld in terms оf uninterruрted орerаtiоn. BHEL hаs dediсаted infrаstruсture аnd skilled mаnроwer tо аddress the sрeсiаl design, mаnufасturing аnd testing requirements соmрlying with internаtiоnаl соdes аnd stаndаrds fоr vаriоus соmроnents/equiрment оf а Nuсleаr роwer рlаnt. BHEL hаs рrоven its сараbility аs а designer аnd mаnufасturer оf bоth рrimаry (reасtоr heаders, end shields, etс.) аnd seсоndаry (turbine, generаtоr, heаt exсhаngers, etс.) side equiрment fоr Nuсleаr роwer рrоjeсts.

April 2022

DAWN 11

PSU's

MINING SECTOR ADOPTS MAJOR CHANGES TO STRENGTHEN SUSTAINABLE MINING

he Ministry оf Mines imрlemented Sustаinаble Mining by mаking рrоvisiоns under Сhарter-V оf Minerаl Соnservаtiоn аnd Develорment Rules (MСDR), 2017. Ассоrdingly Rule 35 оf MСDR рrоvides fоr stаr rаting оf the mining leаses bаsed оn the sustаinаble mining рrасtiсes аdорted by the miners. Uniоn Minister оf Соаl, Mines аnd Раrliаmentаry Аffаirs Рrаlhаd Jоshi sаid in а written reрly in Rаjyа Sаbhа reсently. The Nаtiоnаl Minerаl Роliсy 2019 envisiоns sustаinаble mining аs finаnсiаlly viаble; sосiаlly resроnsible; envirоnmentаlly, teсhniсаlly аnd sсientifiсаlly sоund mining рrасtiсes with а lоng term view оf develорment; орtimаl use оf minerаl resоurсes аnd ensuring sustаinаble роst-сlоsure lаnd uses. Аll miners inсluding рrivаte miners аre fоllоwing the Sustаinаble Mining рrоvisiоns under Сhарter V оf MСDR 2017 аnd fоllоw stаr rаting system develорed fоr evаluаtiоn оf the leаses. Stаr rаting hаs been mаde mаndаtоry under Rule 35(2) оf MСDR, 2017 аnd every mining leаse hоlder hаs tо submit оnline self-аssessment reроrt befоre 1st dаy оf July every yeаr fоr the рreviоus finаnсiаl yeаr, аlоng with the digitаl imаges оf mining leаse аreа аs рer rule 34А оf the sаid rules tо the Regiоnаl Соntrоller оr the аuthоrised оffiсer оf the Indiаn Bureаu оf Mines. Further, аs рer Rule 35(4) оf MСDR, 2017 every hоlder оf а mining leаse shаll асhieve аt leаst three-stаr rаting within а рeriоd оf fоur yeаrs frоm the dаte оf соmmenсement оf mining орerаtiоns аnd thereаfter mаintаin the sаme оn yeаr- оn- yeаr bаsis.

HAL SIGNS STRATEGIC MOU WITH SAFRAN IN GOA

he grоund-breаking сeremоny fоr а new fасility оf Heliсорter Engines MRО Рvt Limited (HEMRО), а Jоint Venture оf HАL аnd Sаfrаn wаs held tоdаy аt Sаttаri, 40 km frоm Раnаji in Gоа. R. Mаdhаvаn, СMD, HАL, Frаnсk Sаudо, СEО, Sаfrаn Heliсорter Engines аnd seniоr оffiсers frоm the Indiаn Аrmed Fоrсes аnd HАL were рresent оn the оссаsiоn. During the сeremоny, bоth раrtners signed а “Memоrаndum оf

INDIАN ОIL BОАRD АССОRDED АРРRОVАL FОR IMРLEMENTАTIОN ОF RUBBER РRОJEСT

ndiаn Оil Соrроrаtiоn Limited disсlоsed the infоrmаtiоn оf the Роly-Butаdiene Rubber (РBR) Рrоjeсt аt IndiаnОil’s Nарhthа Сrасker Соmрlex аt Раniраt, Hаryаnа. The соmраny's Bоаrd gаve the аррrоvаl in its meeting held оn 16th Mаrсh 2022 hаs ассоrded аррrоvаl fоr imрlementаtiоn оf the Рrоjeсt with аn estimаted investment оf INR 1459 сrоre. It is exрeсted tо be орerаtiоnаl by 2025. The рlаnt will hаve а РBR рrоduсtiоn сарасity оf 60,000 tоnnes рer аnnum

DAWN

April 2022

PSU's

Understаnding” tо extend their соорerаtiоn аnd exрlоre орроrtunities fоr new heliсорter engines in сivil аnd militаry mаrkets, refleсting their соmmitment tо the Indiаn Gоvernment’s visiоn оf “Аtmаnirbhаr Bhаrаt” tоwаrds асhieving self-reliаnсe in defenсe teсhnоlоgies аnd MRО. Flоrent Сhаuvаnсy, EVР, ОEM Sаles & Mаrketing, Sаfrаn Heliсорter Engines аnd Аmitаbh Bhаtt, СEО, HАL’s Bаngаlоre Соmрlex signed the MоU.

INAUGURATION OF ANICUTS AND LAYING OF FOUNDATION STONE OF BASTAWA MATA DAM DISTRICT JODHPUR, RAJASTHAN

“The 1,000 sqm trаining аnd оffiсe fасility аnd а 3,800 sqm internаtiоnаl сlаss shор fасility will рrоvide Mаintenаnсe, Reраir аnd Оverhаul (MRО) serviсes fоr Sаfrаn TM333 аnd HАL Shаkti engines instаlled оn HАL-built heliсорters tо inсreаse the орerаtiоnаl reаdiness оf the Indiаn Аrmed Fоrсes”, sаid Mаdhаvаn. Frаnсk Sаudо соmmented, “I аm very рrоud tо сelebrаte the lаunсh оf this wоrld сlаss MRО Сentre fоr the TM333 аnd Shаkti gаs turbines аbоаrd Indiа Аrmed Fоrсes heliсорters. This соmрlex will be а key fасtоr fоr building сustоmer sаtisfасtiоn аnd suрроrting the Gоvernment оf Indiа’s visiоn fоr аerоsрасe MRО in Indiа. With а fleet оf оver 1000 engines, inсluding 250 TM333 аnd оver 500 Shаkti, Indiа’s Аrmed Fоrсes аre оne оf the lаrgest орerаtоrs оf Sаfrаn-designed heliсорter engines аnd оur соmраny роwers 100 per cent оf HАL рrоduсed heliсорters. We suрроrt аll HАL heliсорter рrоgrаms аnd will оffer the level оf соmmitment tо their future рrоjeсts”.

bаsed оn stаte-оfthe-аrt teсhnоlоgy рrоvided by Gооdyeаr Ti r e & Rubber Соmраny whiсh is аlsо the leаding glоbаl mаnufасturer оf аutоmоtive tyres. B utаdiene is th e рrimаry rаw mаteriаl fоr the рrоduсtiоn оf РBR whiсh shаll be аvаilаble frоm the existing Nарhthа Сrасker Соmрlex оf the Соmраny. The Tyre industry is the lаrgest соnsumer оf РBR in Indiа with mоre thаn 80 per cent, while the bаlаnсe is fоr оther industries suсh аs fооtweаr, соnveyоr belts, etс. In view оf the рresent defiсit in РBR рrоduсtiоn in Indiа аnd the steаdily grоwing demаnd, the demаnd-suррly defiсit is exрeсted tо grоw соnsiderаbly in the future. The imрlementаtiоn оf the Рrоjeсt wоuld reduсe the nаtiоn's imроrt deрendenсy fоr РBR, thereby, аiding tо Аtmаnirbhаr Bhаrаt аnd Mаke in Indiа visiоn fоr the nаtiоn. With the соmmissiоning оf this рrоjeсt, the Рetrосhemiсаl Intensity Index оf Раniраt Refinery & Рetrосhemiсаl Соmрlex will inсreаse frоm 15.9 per cent tо 18.05 per cent аlоng with оther uрсоming рrоjeсts.

nаugurаtiоn оf Аniсuts аnd lаying оf Fоundаtiоn Stоne оf Bаstаwа Mаtа Dаm (Gоtаvаr-rаi Dаm) distriсt Jоdhрur, Rаjаsthаn. WАРСОS is Рrоjeсt Mаnаgement Соnsultаnt fоr Соnstruсtiоn оf Аrtifiсiаl Reсhаrge Struсtures in оver-exрlоited blосks оf Jоdhрur, Jаisаlmer & Sikаr distriсts оf Rаjаsthаn. The Рrоjeсt соmрrises рlаnning, design аnd соnstruсtiоn оf 101 Аniсuts & Сheсk Dаms аlоng with 2 Eаrthen Dаms аt villаge Indrоkа аnd Bаstаwа Mаtа ji (distriсt Jоdhрur).

The Рrоjeсt соmрrises рlаnning, design аnd соnstruсtiоn оf 101 Аniсuts & Сheсk Dаms аlоng with 2 Eаrthen Dаms аt villаge Indrоkа аnd Bаstаwа Mаtа ji (distriсt Jоdhрur).

It gives immense рleаsure tо shаre thаt sоme оf the Аniсuts, соmрleted sо fаr hаve been inаugurаted аlоng with lаying оf fоundаtiоn stоne оf Bаstаwа Mаtа Dаm by Gаjendrа Singh Shekhаwаt, Hоn’ble Uniоn Minister fоr Jаl Shаkti, Gоvernment оf Indiа & Kаilаsh Сhоudhаry, Hоn’ble Uniоn Minister оf Stаte fоr Аgriсulture & Fаrmer’s Welfаre, Gоvernment оf Indiа in the аugust рresenсe оf His Highness Gаj Singh, Mаhаrаjа оf Jоdhрur. WАРСОS асtively раrtiсiраted in the оссаsiоn аnd R.K. Аgrаwаl, СMD WАРСОS & NРСС аррrised the dignitаries оn Рrоjeсt stаtus & its benefits аnd рresented vоte оf thаnks. These рrоjeсts, оnсe соmрleted shаll reduсe the соnсern оf wаter sсаrсity in vаriоus раrts оf Rаjаsthаn.

April 2022

DAWN 13

INTERVIEW

RAILTEL

CONNECTING INDIA DIGITALLY

SH. PUNEET CHAWLA - CHAIRMAN & MANAGING DIRECTOR RAILTEL CORPORATION OF INDIA LTD. 1. What are RailTel’s core activity areas and expertise? RailTel, a Mini Ratna PSU under Ministry of Railways, is an ICT service provider and one of the largest neutral telecom infrastructure providers in the country. RailTel owns a Pan-India optic fiber network of 61000+RKm (and growing) along Railway track covering important towns, cities and several rural areas. RailTel also has 21000+ Km city wide Access network, 11000+ Point of Presence, 1050+ telecom towers, 2 Tier-III certified Data Centres, MeitY empanelled RailCloud, specialized Security Operation Centre. What makes this network one of the most secure is the absence of any equipment from neighbouring countries sharing land border with India. With the help of this robust infrastructure, RailTel provides a host of telecommunication services like Internet Bandwidth, Leased lines, MPLS VPN, Tower Colocation, dark fiber leasing, retail broadband–RailWire, HD Video Conferencing, e-tendering and many more.

DAWN

April 2022

Apart from that, we also execute a number of ICT projects like e-Office, Hospital Management Information System, telemedicine projects, IP based video surveillance services, web and AI based attendance systems, campus Wi-Fi etc.. 2. How do you envisage the company's roadmap to the future? Covid19 pandemic has given a thrust to the digitalization which presents an immense opportunity for RailTel to grow its business. Currently both govt as well as private sector is investing heavily on bringing their operations on digital platforms which broadens our scope to become their trusted digital partner. We have already seen demand growth for our Internet Bandwidth, Video Conferencing, MPLS-VPN, Retail Broadband services which is going to go further up. This will also help to grow our Data Centre business, supported by Security Operation Centre (SoC) service which is a prerequisite to mitigate the ever-growing cyber security threats.

INTERVIEW

We understand the ever-changing matrix of digital world hence we are focussing on services based on cutting technologies like Internet of Things, Machine learning, big Data edge. We are actively focusing on the Health, Education & Defence sectors and have already won many contracts. We are also in the process of setting-up Edge Data Centres at 100 locations in Tier-II & III cities to take advantage of OTT boom and reducing latency for IoT based applications. We are working on an Experiential Learning Solution which provides a virtual lab environment on RailTel cloud, allowing the students to perform various lab experiments using the industry scale applications that mimics the real-life processes The company is working on opportunities of safe city surveillance projects, IP based CCTV Surveillance System for Police Stations, District Courts & Sub Divisional Courts, Smart Energy Meters, Automatic Number Plate Recognition, RFID Boom Barrier based weighbridge Automation, vehicle tracking and fleet management etc. Expanding our existing stream of business with Railways we intend to become a key player in the National Transporter ’s plan to modernize train control through execution of Train Collision Avoidance System rechristened KAVACH over LTE/4G communication backbone. RailTel, with its signalling and telecommunication background, is perfectly suited to take up the role. We are already executing the project of providing Modern Electronic Interlocking Signalling Systems at 26 Railway stations of Northern Railway Zone. Out of this, 6 stations have been commissioned whereas work is at different stages of progress at remaining 20 stations. Apart from that, we have recently stepped into the field of providing Tunnel radio Communication System for Indian Railways. This is a crucial system which aims at ensuring safety of train operations inside tunnels. RailTel has already got a total of 5 tunnel communication project costing Rs. 350 Crore and we are exploring more such opportunities. The technology that we are using is first of its kind on Indian Railways. RailTel will also play a pivotal role in the implementation of PM WANI (Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) project which envisages creating a nationwide Public Wi-Fi Ecosystem. Proliferation of broadband across the length and breadth of the country is an essential ingredient of Digital India initiative. RailTel is already a registered PDOA (Public Data Office Aggregator) and Mobile APP Service Provider under this project. PM WANI solution would be deployed across its Wi-Fi network at 6100+ Railway Stations and the solution is under testing. 3. Railway Station Wi-Fi project is one of your major business drivers, how you would like to take this further considering you have already build up a mass network by connecting more than 6100 stations with your wi-fi system. Our Railway station Wi-Fi network, provided under the brand name of RailWire, at 6100 stations is one of the largest integrated Wi-Fi networks of the world. It connects the length and breadth of the country- from Kashmir to Kanyakumari- in every true sense. Our plan

is to provide the Wi-Fi at all Railway stations (except the halt ones) and we are only few stations away from the finish line. We are now focussing on monetizing the network and have launched paid Wi-Fi service. Users now can enjoy fast Wi-Fi by paying a nominal fee after first 30 minutes of free service at 01 Mbps. We are also exploring advertisement based monetization option for the WiFi Network. For better utilization of this infrastructure in converting Railways stations into a platform for Digital Inclusion, RailTel has tied up with CSC SPV for setting up RailWire Saathi kiosks at rural stations. These kiosks will act as CSC centres and will be run by Village Level Entrepreneurs ( VLEs) to provide various digital services such as Crop Insurance, Bus/Train Ticket, Aadhar Card, Ration Card, Life Certificate, Electricity Bill Payment etc. to the people. Moreover, out of 6100+Railway stations where we have provided Wi-Fi facility, around 5000 railway stations are in rural areas. Using these broadband PoPs at stations we are now planning to bring the broadband Internet facility to one lakh+ villages within 5 KMs distance from rural Railway stations. Introduction of broadband Internet facility in rural areas is very essential as it will accelerate digital progress, technological advancement and improve quality of life of the people living in these areas. Our RailWire Broadband service at rural areas can be the key enabler for Govt of India’s Digital India Mission. Till now, around 14000+ villages have been covered by RailWire broadband service. 4. Recently, the company has achieved the milestone of 4.6 lakh Fiber To The Home (FTTH) how you mark this success and now how you going to take things further? Our retail broadband service RailWire is based on a collaborative model where we rope in local cable operators and entrepreneurs to provide the last mile connectivity for providing home broadband. Owing to the school/colleges and offices moving online, we have seen a massive growth in our subscribe number and currently we have 4.65 lakh+ subscriber. What makes RailWire stand out is its reach in semi urban and rural areas. More than 40% of our current subscriber are in rural areas and we see an untapped market here as most of the broadband service providers do not provide service in these areas due to high capex/opex cost. So, we are now focussing on rural areas to expand our broadband services. We are using our existing broadband PoPs in rural railway stations to expand the service as well as roping in more RailWire partners to cover more ground. In order to expand the reach of the RailWire services, MOU with various state power transmission companies is being entered into for use of their existing OFC network. We have also signed a MoU with CDoT for developing more cost effective equipment for RailWire services which will help to cut down cost making our service more affordable and also promote Make in India. We plan to grow our RailWire revenue to 500 Cr and subscriber to 10 lakh+ by Mar’23.

April 2022

DAWN 15

COVER STORY

INDIA ROLLING ITS SLEEVES TO BECOME GLOBAL INVESTOR HUB

nvestment in a publicly traded company by an individual or a foreign-based company is defined as foreign direct investment (FDI) by the Reserve Bank of India. Economic liberalisation began in 1991, and since then, Indian government policies have loosened and favourable initiatives have been introduced to encourage foreign investment in India. Additionally, foreign companies are drawn to India by factors like lower wages, special investment incentives such as tax exemptions, a conducive business environment, and a rapidly expanding consumer base. Growth in GDP (Gross Domestic Product) surpassed China and the United States in 2015, making India the world's fastest-growing economy.

DAWN

April 2022

UNCTAD's latest World Investment Report-2021 (WIR) ranked India fifth in terms of FDI inflows in 2020, with the United States taking the top spot (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development). The report stated that India's foreign direct investment (FDI) was bolstered by acquisitions in the ICT and construction sectors. Jio Platforms was purchased for USD 5.7 billion by Jaadhu, a US-based Facebook subsidiary; Larsen & Toubro India's sale of its Electrical & Automation division was for USD 2.1 billion; Brookfield Canada and GIC Singapore purchased Tower Infrastructure Trust for USD 3.7 billion; and Unilever India merged with GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare India, a UK-based GSK subsidiary, for USD 4.6 billion.

COVER STORY

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Inflow - Key Statistics A record 81.72 billion dollars in foreign direct investment (FDI) was attracted by India in FY20-21, a 10 percent increase over the previous year. FDI in India amounted to USD 22.5 billion in the first four months of FY21-22. At 55 per cent of total FDI inflow in FY20-21, computer software and hardware was followed by construction infrastructure at 16 per cent, and the service sector at 11 per cent. Due to China's economic shift and favourable government policies, India has been able to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Following the United States and Mauritius in terms of FDI inflows into India, Singapore is the leading contributor. When comparing 2020-21 to 2019-20, FDI from Singapore increased by 25 per cent. In India, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka were the three states that received the most foreign direct investment (FDI).

Initiatives by the Government to Boost Foreign Direct Investment To entice foreign investment, the government has eased restrictions on foreign direct investment in a variety of sectors, including defence, public sector oil refineries, telecommunications, power exchanges, and stock exchanges. At the 46th Annual General Meeting and India

Ideas Summit in October 2021, Mr. Piyush Goyal of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, stated that India is preparing to increase investments, streamline the tax regime and liberalise FDI policies. The following is a list of some of the recent government initiatives: Non-resident Indian nationals will be able to own up to 100 percent of Air India under the automatic route in July 2020, up from 49 percent previously.

Due to China's economic shift and favourable government policies, India has been able to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Two methods are available for FDI: automatic and government. The RBI or the Indian government do not need to give any kind of approval to the foreign investor or Indian company if they choose the Automatic route. The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) and the Ministry of Finance must give their prior approval for the Government route. By the end of December 2020, non-coal companies will be able to participate in India's coal mining auctions, which are now open to non-coal investors. Digital media and defence were also liberalised, with foreign ownership now permitted to reach up to 26 per cent with government approval and up to 74 per cent with automatic approval in the former. The space industry is expected to implement a new policy in the near future. As of September 2021, the government has mandated that all foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the space sector must first receive government approval; the industry, on the other hand, prefers the automatic route. As a result of the interest expressed by foreign companies looking to invest in the space sector, Indian Space Research Organization Chairman Mr. K. Sivan has revealed that India will soon open its space sector to private players. When it comes to satellites, components, and subsystems, Netherlands has expressed an interest in collaborating with India. As of October 2021, India is expected to open

April 2022

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COVER STORY

up Life Insurance Corporation to 20 per cent foreign investment (LIC). Insurance companies in India have had their FDI limits raised from 49 per cent to 74 per cent as of March 2021, but LIC, as a special entity established by an act of parliament, was not included in this policy. As part of the new policy, investors can apply for a stake in a company without having to get government approval. FDI in the telecom services sector will be allowed under the automatic route at 100 percent starting in October 2021. As a result, the new policy will apply to all telecommunications service and infrastructure providers. Bank guarantees for licencing agreements were also reduced to 20% by the government. In April 2020, India implemented a mandate that all investments from countries that share land borders with India must be approved by the government before they can proceed. India's land borders with China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, and Afghanistan are shared by seven countries: China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. These countries have submitted the most FDI proposals to the government, particularly in the areas of electronics and information technology, manufacturing, and heavy industry. Antiopportunistic acquisitions and takeovers of Indian companies are among the goals set forth by the mandate.

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Government calling out neghbouring countries to be part of this mega investment drive Recently, the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, claimed India is becoming a global innovation hub with the third-largest startup environment in the world, calling for cooperation with neighbouring countries. In a virtual address at the "CII: Partnership Summit -Ministerial Meeting," Goyal stated that India seeks free trade agreements with countries that share its values of transparency, mutual benefit, and growth.

In April 2020, India implemented a mandate that all investments from countries that share land borders with India must be approved by the government before they can proceed.

Additionally, India is re-examining existing Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with ASEAN, Japan and Korea in order to strengthen them and forging stronger trade alliances with countries such as the UAE, European Union (EU), United Kingdom (UK), Israel (Israel), Australia (Australia), Canada (Canada), Russia (Russia), Oman (Oman) and GCC. There should be an increase in India's commercial links with South Africa and the Southern African Customs Union (SACCUL), according to the minister of state for external affairs. According to Goyal, throughout the COVID-19 epidemic, India has emerged as a source of resilience and a trusted partner, and that we have strived to the best of our abilities to meet all of our international service obligations. The Minister also said that India would continue to aid countries in need because we believe in brotherhood, partnership, and the need of working together to address challenges. During the pandemic, he said, India had focused on its neighbours and was ready to provide vaccines and medical supplies to all of its international allies. Highlighting India's investment promotion efforts, Goyal said the government has been encouraging foreign enterprises to take advantage of the country's openness, accessibility, choice and chances to invest. India's economy, according to Goyal, has made a strong comeback, and the

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improving economic indicators suggest that "India is setting up for a growth decade." According to him, India's GDP grew 8.4 per cent in the second quarter of this year, with significant exports, FDI, and large investments by Indian enterprises in other countries. Indian companies should be invited to invest in their economies and help create jobs, Goyal told his colleagues. There are six areas of concentration for

be accelerated by Startups, according to this commentator. With India's Sustainable Development plans in mind, the Union Minister declared the country will have 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030 and fulfil 50 per cent of its power needs from renewable energy, one of the world's most ambitious programmes for renewable energy. By 2070, India has promised to eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions.

Faiyaz Koya, all attended the summit. Among those in attendance were Fayyaz Ismail, Maldives Minister for Economic Development, Soodesh Satkam Callichurn, Mauritius Minister of Commerce and Consumer Protection, Dr Pwint San, Myanmar Minister for Commerce and Pwint San, Sri Lanka Minister of Trade, and Giancarlo Giorgetti, Italy's Minister of Economic Development.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reassured investors While touting the country's recent agricultural and labour reforms and an economy that is rebounding quicker than expected, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised investors that his administration will do everything it takes to make India the engine of global growth recovery. The "Self-Reliant India" campaign does not indicate that India is becoming a closed economy, but rather provides chances for foreign investors to participate in the country's growth storey. He emphasised t ha t I n d i a ' s a s p i r a ti on to b ec om e "Atmanirbhar" (self-sufficient) is more than just a vision. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described the strategy as "a strategy to use our businesses and the skills of our workers to become a global manufacturing powerhouse, a strategy that aims to use our strength in technology to become a global centre for innovations, a strategy that aims... to contribute to global development using our immense human resources and their talents." India's future collaborations, according to the union minister: Trade Agreements, Investment, India's strengths as a supply chain alternative (Ease of Doing Business, Innovation and Sustainability), and Ease of doing business. Healthcare, infrastructure, defence, energy, civil aviation, insurance, and technology were among the areas in which Goyal said investments might be made. He also mentioned the many schemes in place to make trade and investment easier, such as the PLI Scheme and the Liberalized FDI Policy. Investments in India will benefit from the country's diverse economy, skilled workforce, low labour costs, and infrastructure projects like the National Infrastructure Pipeline, GatiShakti, and National Monetization Plan, according to Goyal. According to him, efforts like the National Single Window System and the Industrial Land Bank are making a big difference in the ease of doing business in India. 79 unicorn startups make India the third-largest startup environment in the world, according to Piyush Goyal. India's inclusion into global value chains and creation of global influence, he claimed, can

Qatar's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Qassim Al-Abdullah Al-Thani, Bhutan's Minister of Economic Affairs, Loknath Sharma, Ethiopia's Minister of Trade and Regional Integration, Gebre Meskel Chala, and Fiji's Minister of Commerce and Trade,

India's inclusion into global value chains and creation of global influence, he claimed, can be accelerated by Startups, according to this commentator.

The finance ministry organised the Virtual Global Investor Roundtable (VGIR) 2020, which brought together the CEOs and CIOs of the 20 largest institutional investors from the United States, Europe, Canada, Korea, Japan, the Middle East, Australia, and Singapore to discuss global investment trends. The combined assets of these pension and sovereign wealth funds equal over USD 6 trillion. Investors from throughout the world have expressed confidence in our future, which makes me delighted. Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows have risen by 13 percent in the last five months, compared to the same period in 2013. I am even more confident because of your participation in this roundtable, Prime Minister Modi stated. In addition to Temasek and Australian Super, CDPQ and CPP Investments were among the important funds participating in the event. GIC and Future Fund, Japan Post Bank and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation were also present. The Prime Minister touted India as the ideal destination to invest for long-term gains while appealing to investors around the

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world. For reliable returns, India is the place to go. India is the place to go if you want supply with democracy. India is the place to be if you desire long-term security and stability. "India is the place to be if you want growth with a green approach," Modi stated. There are several reasons to consider India as a potential location for your business. Multiple markets might be found in a single market because of our wide range of products and services. These can be customised to fit a variety of different-sized pockets and personal preferences. "They come in a variety of weather conditions and at various stages of growth," he said. He highlighted that under a democratic, inclusive, and law-abiding government, this diversity comes with open minds and open markets. When it comes to the development of the world's economy, Modi remarked that India's progress has the potential to serve as a catalyst for the recovery of the global economy as a whole. In order to stabilise the global economic system, a robust and vibrant India can be beneficial." We are prepared to do everything it takes to turn India into a source of renewed

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global growth. The next few years are going to be a lot of fun. This is an opportunity for you to get involved," he said. When asked about the government's many reform plans, Modi noted that opening up the agricultural markets presents fresh and exciting opportunities for collaboration with farmers. He predicted that India

"India is the place to be if you want growth with a green approach," Modi stated. There are several reasons to consider India as a potential location for your business

would soon become a major exporter of agricultural products thanks to advances in technology and contemporary processing methods. The government implemented "one nation, one tax" in order to boost the country's manufacturing capacity "He pointed out that Australia had a GST system, one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the world, and additional incentives to spur new production. As a result, he said, new labour rules and a faceless income tax assessment framework are balancing the interests of workers and employers. In order to attract more foreign investment, he added, the government has implemented productionlinked incentives in key sectors and given institutional management the authority to act as a guide for investors. He said that the government has an ambitious plan to invest USD 1.5 trillion in infrastructure development via the National Infrastructure Pipeline. He mentioned this in response to a question. Advertisement According to Modi, a groundbreaking multimodal connectivity infrastructure master plan is being finalised, he added that India is embarking on a tremendous infrastructure development frenzy across the country.

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to be a profitable investment location for strategic alliances. Almost all of the world's major corporations rely heavily on Chinese manufacturing facilities. However, the emergence of a pandemic meant that the supply chain was disrupted. Strategic investors' trust in India has been bolstered by the US-China trade conflict and Indian manufacturing programmes like Make in India. The government is also currently creating millions of low-cost homes for the growing middle class, according to him. Further, the Prime Minister stated he is aware of the needs of major global fund firms, who are looking for the safest and most secure investment options available. Some of the brightest financial brains, those who are capable of converting new areas of innovation and growth into viable business ideas, are being addressed by me today." But at the same time, I'm cognizant of your desire to ensure the finest and safest long-term returns for the money in your trust "he stated. The first five months of current fiscal year saw the highest-ever inflow of USD 35.7 billion in foreign investments into India, an increase of 13 per cent over the same time a year ago. Over the next few weeks, the Prime Minister will meet one-on-one with the chiefs of these financial institutions to discuss their concerns.

India in an investment-friendly geopolitical environment In spite of the challenges provided by the pandemic, experts believe that India's chances of becoming an investment centre have increased. The Asia Pacific region's second-largest economy, India, has grown

An estimated USD 536 million in compensation will be provided by Japan's federal government to around 57 enterprises for the relocation of manufacturing from China. An expert on this topic argues that "since many countries around the globe including superpowers have grown antagonism

In order to become a USD 5 trillion economy, India requires an annual investment of around USD100 billion, says the US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF).

against China, there is undoubtedly a silver lining for India to emerge as an important manufacturing and technological hub of the Asian continent." Because of the abundance of diverse small and medium-sized businesses, this industrial revolution has the potential to turn India into an investment hotspot. An important investment centre, according to many experts, might emerge if the country is successful in harmonising its manufacturing standards with international norms. Foreign institutional investors are eager to diversify their supply chains and invest in financially strong economies, according to S. Ravi. This platform is provided by the favourable foreign investment rules in India and the availability of low skilled workers," he adds. Of the 4.6 million acres of land identified by the Indian government, 24 percent is designated for industrial use. As part of an effort to entice more foreign investment, financial incentives including tax cuts, tax holidays, etc. are being considered." In order to become a USD 5 trillion economy, India requires an annual investment of around USD100 billion, says the US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF). Foreign investors in India can take advantage of interest rate arbitrage, as S Ravi explains: "Unlike nations like the United States and Japan." As a result, the topic of Jio's foreign investment is a hot one right now. They claim that the Jio deal has strengthened the outlook for strategic investments in India's future. It's clear to Rachit Chawla, the CEO of Finway Capital and a director of

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Risers Accelerator, that India's investment landscape is quite promising right now. A prominent illustration of India's ability to attract international investment is Mukesh Ambani's involvement in Google and Facebook. "I believe we are positively handling the pandemic crisis and people throughout the world are observing this," he asserts. In addition, this is one of the reasons why we have been able to acquire investments from abroad. Investors' attention has also been drawn to Indian pharmaceutical companies recently as a result of these developments. Seven Indian pharmaceutical companies are currently working on COVID-19 vaccines, and the entire world is watching them with anticipation. However, Arun Natrajan, the founder of Venture Intelligence and Vice President of TiE Chennai asserts, "Most of the money that arrived through FDI in India especially after March is largely because of the Jio transaction. The aggregate number of FDI investments from Google and Facebook, even though they do not represent a small or medium-sized business, looks fantastic. More money from abroad will be attracted as a result of this. Small enterprises and venture capitalists, on the other hand, are not experiencing the same trend.

Benefiting from the current economic climate While the global investment and FDI levels are expected to fall significantly owing to the pandemic, India presents a unique opportunity for long-term investment. As Professor Anil K. Sood puts it, "Given the size of the market, India gives a unique long-term investment opportunity." There

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has been a positive impact on a handful of industries like health care, education, and information technology. These industries are seeing an uptick in investment as a result of the crisis' importance to them. When it comes to investing right now, investors are absolutely on the defensive, according to Bansal of Inflection Point Ventures." In the meantime, VCs with cash on hand are stepping in to help start-ups expand, which benefits the government's efforts to promote self-reliance. As a result of the recent downturns in the real estate and stock markets, he says that one should consider investing a lot of money in startups.

Angel investing platforms like Inflection Point Ventures are bringing manufacturing firms to investors because they have the potential to contribute to a selfreliant India.

Angel investing platforms like Inflection Point Ventures are bringing manufacturing firms to investors because they have the potential to contribute to a selfreliant India. Arun Natrajan, too, shares this sentiment. Small businesses are still cash-starved, but industries that are benefiting from the crisis are getting money, he said. According to him, "small enterprises are having a difficult time attracting venture capital investments at the present time." However, things are starting to go in the right direction. There has been an increase in the amount of money being invested in ed-tech and healthcare since the VC market was unlocked in July. According to the 2019 India Venture Capital Investment Report by Bain & Company, USD10 billion was invested. The amount invested in 2019 was 55 per cent more than in 2018. India-focused venture capital investments this year are quite low, and they are almost nonexistent for smaller firms. Experts, however,

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predict that fundraising will improve in the near future, both for limited and general partners. The majority of small business owners, on the other hand, rely on loans of various kinds, such as government-backed aid or personal loans, to get the money they need to operate their businesses. It's no secret that small businesses are turning to NBFCs like Muthoot Finance for gold loans in droves. A senior executive of Muthoot Finance tells me that these small enterprises want to reopen in a limited capacity once the shutdown is completed. The gold loan portfolio of Muthoot Finance grew by 22 per cent in the last financial year ending in March 2020. In Bijimon's words, "The livelihoods of people have been greatly affected by the limits that COVID-19 has forced upon us. There has been no immediate reduction in interest rates because the government has implemented moratoriums and an assistance package to maintain liquidity. Only borrowing money to pay back or compensate for losses is involved." Traders, merchants, and small enterprises are greatly benefiting from gold loans, which provide them with working capital loans to get their company up and running. CGM Bijimon of Muthoot Finance said that the company's iMuthoot mobile app and its internet portal have seen a surge in traffic over the previous few months. A four-fold increase in loan disbursements using its digital channels to INR 224 crore was also observed in June.

Indian FDI in the Long Term: The Way Forward India's industrial sector might help make the country a more attractive investment option for foreign investors. The first step for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) is maximising their current investment in order to improve productivity through process redesign and automation. Indian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will benefit from this by being able to compete on price. If Indian enterprises want to compete with the established industrial powerhouses of China, Japan,

The Indian government has announced a INR 20 lakh crore rescue package amid the COVID-19 crisis. After that, PM Modi urged Indian manufacturers to help build an independent nation.

and Korea, they must be cost competitive. Indian FDI is expected to rise in the next years because of its long-term potential, according to Professor Sood. But if demand does not improve and we continue to have surplus capacity, returns will be inadequate. To attract financial investors like private equity firms or even manufacturer's investors, a resurgence in demand is vital."

Creating a new environment for promoting manufacturing activities The Indian government has announced a INR 20 lakh crore rescue package amid the COVID-19 crisis. After that, PM Modi urged Indian manufacturers to help build an independent nation. By investing more in companies, the ultimate goal is to strengthen them. Such measures also aim to reshape the Indian manufacturing industry. If SMEs are able to develop the capabilities to compete with global manufacturing powerhouses, "An initiative like Atmanirbhar India will attract large investments," says Sood. While it is difficult to compete with them in terms of scale, India can take advantage of this opportunity through the industry 4.0 strategy, which involves the ability of Indian firms to build flexible and robust manufacturing systems similar to those implemented by the German government. SMBs can benefit from economies of scale and scope by combining both scale and variety in their strategy.

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A national fund that provides long-term risk capital for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is needed to support the country's renaissance, according to the author. There is no need for loan waivers or banking system credit support." Poor transportation infrastructure, outdated labour laws, and an overly complex tax system are all reasons why India is falling behind in global value chains. The ultimate goal of making India an investment hub is within reach, however, as the self-reliance India movement gains traction and a greater number of products are manufactured in India.

Making India a production hub The Indian government has launched a number of initiatives and schemes aimed at promoting economic growth and attracting foreign investment. The Make in India programme was launched on September 25, 2014, with the goal of increasing investment, fostering innovation, building best-in-class infrastructure, and creating a manufacturing, design, and innovation hub in India. The Investment Facilitation and Outreach department is constantly working to identify potential investors and assist Indian embassies and state governments in organising events, summits, road shows, and other promotional activities in order to entice foreign investment into India's manufacturing sector.

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India's investment climate has improved since the country was ranked 142 in the 2014 World Bank ranking for Ease of Doing Business [EODB] according to the World Bank's Doing Business Report (DBR) 2020. For States and UTs, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has also begun a comprehensive reform effort in December 2014. Reforms implemented by each state/UT on specified parameters are compared to one another under Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP). States' business climates have improved as a result of this exercise. The government has formed

The Indian government has launched a number of initiatives and schemes aimed at promoting economic growth and attracting foreign investment.

an Empowered Group of Secretaries to expedite investment in the country. PDCs have also been established in various Central Government Ministries / Departments to help investors, as well as spur sector and economic growth, in order to help investors. An India Industrial Land Bank with GIS capabilities has also been launched to assist investors in locating their ideal investment location. In September of 2021, the National Single Widow System (NSWS) was soft launched in order to make clearances for investors easier. The Union Budget 2021-22 includes a provision of INR 1.97 lakh crore (over US$ 26 billion) for Production Linked Incentives (PLI) schemes in 14 key manufacturing sectors beginning in FY 2021-22, in keeping with India's vision of becoming 'Atmanirbhar,' and to enhance India's manufacturing capabilities and exports. Production, employment, and economic growth are anticipated over the next five years and more following the announcement of PLI Schemes. The government's actions, such as the reform of the FDI policy, have resulted in rising FDI inflows year after year. In the financial year 2020-21 (provisional figures), India saw its highest-ever annual FDI inflow of USD 81.97 billion (provisional figures). Indian foreign direct investment (FDI) trends show that it is a popular investment destination for international investors.

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Nearly 58 percent of the FDI reported in the last 21 years (USD 763.83 billion) has been received by India in the last seven financial years (2014-21). Global corporations are increasingly looking to establish operations in India, as evidenced by this trend. In addition to the ongoing schemes, the government has taken a number of additional measures to encourage both domestic and foreign investment in India. Public Procurement Orders, Phased Manufacturing Program (PMP), schemes for Production-Linked Incentives (PLI) of various Ministries, India Industrial Land Bank and the Industrial Park Rating System are just some of the policy measures that are being implemented to help the manufacturing sector grow in India. Production, employment, and economic growth are anticipated over

In addition to the above, various Central Government Ministries/ Departments and various State Governments periodically carry out activities through schemes/programs.

fifths of business leaders in the US, the UK, Japan, and Singapore are planning to invest in India for the first time or to increase their existing investments. In addition, he said that India remains one of the most attractive FDI destinations. With a growing young population, a skilled labour force equipped with modern technology, relaxed rules for foreign direct investment (FDI), and a cheap and plentiful workforce, India is an attractive destination for FDI.

the next five years and more following the announcement of PLI Schemes.

Ms. Indra Nooyi, the former chairperson and CEO of PepsiCo, said in an interview with CNBC-TV18 in October 2021 that while India is making significant efforts to become a self-sufficient economy, attracting FDI in areas where India has limited technology is also imperative. This will help India attract FDI into the right sectors by establishing a checklist of industries that are home-grown, supported by the government, and backed by FDI.

In addition to the above, various Central Government Ministries/Departments and various State Governments periodically carry out activities through schemes/ programs. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade does not keep track of the specifics of these measures.

Manufacturing is expected to boost India's FDI this year on the back of the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, which is designed to incentivize domestic manufacturing and thus increase exports. In 2020, the ICT sector was a major booster of FDI in India.

The Road Ahead As the world's sixth-largest economy, India attracts investors because of its expanding consumer base. It was revealed in September 2021 that more than two-

Foreign investors can expect a favourable investment climate in India soon, thanks to all of the above-mentioned developments, including more lenient policies and reforms.

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BUSINESS OUTLOOK

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS STARTED, MAJOR COUNTRIES WHERE YOU CAN TRAVEL WITHOUT TESTING RTPCR

he Government of India recently announced the resumption of international flights scheduled from March 27th. Flights will resume after two years as the number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in Korea has decreased. Returning on March 23, 2020 The government has suspended regular international flights. However, from July 2020, flights under the Bubble Agreement and Vande Bharat missions have been launched in a limited number of countries. With the opening of international routes, airlines expect more international travel for leisure and business. According to a survey by travel website Agoda, 39 per cent of Indians will travel abroad by 2022. However, the main problem remains with the fear of quarantine or understanding the RTPCR norms. Therefore, we have eased entry restrictions and created a list of countries that allow Indians to enter their country without RTPCR testing. Bahrain Gulf Island countries now allow unvaccinated tourists to enter without RTPCR testing before leaving. Al Jasr House, Al Bahrain Museum, Manama Bazaar, Bahrain Diving Center where you can dive in the world's largest underwater theme park, kayaking and other water sports You can visit the Nurana Islands to enjoy the Egypt Egypt is increasingly becoming a popular tourist destination for Indians in the Middle East.

Travelers who have received Covisield or AstraZeneca vaccinations no longer require RTPCR testing. All you have to do is fill out a health declaration form and visit places like the Red Sea, Khan el Khalili market, the Great Pyramid of Giza and more. France France has removed the RTPCR requirement for fully vaccinated travelers. You can visit cities like Paris, considered one of the most romantic places in the world, and see the Eiffel Tower, Seine River and Mont Saint Michel. Or you can go to the nature of regions such as Provence, French Alps, Dijon, Burgundy, Champagne and Lyon.

EPF INTEREST RATE AT 8.10 PER CENT LOWEST IN DECADES, WHAT FM NIRMALA SITHARAMAN SAYS

mployee reserve fund deposit rate falls to 4-decade low of 8.1 per cent for fiscal year main 202122, compared with 8.5 per cent the previous year. This is the lowest interest rate since 197778 on deposits that workers put into their retirement funds. The interest rate on the employee's contingency fund that year was 8 percent. The Central Board has recommended an annual interest rate of 8.10 per cent to be credited to EPF accruals in members' accounts for the financial year 202122 (ends 31 March). year 2022). EPFO has paid 8.5 per cent interest to its subscribers

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Lebanon Pre-departure RTPCR testing is not required for travelers who have received a second dose of vaccination at least 6 months prior to travel to Lebanon. Just upload your vaccination certificate on the website of the Ministry of Health. You can go to the Greco-Roman temples, the temples of Baalbek, Bacchus, the famous Lebanese cedar of Shuf and the Beiteddine Palace. Turkey The Turkish government does not require RTPCR testing for people who have been vaccinated worldwide. Travelers must fill out the medical form 72 hours prior to arrival.

in 202021, as in the previous year. The EPF interest rate was 8.65 per cent in 201819 and 8.55 per cent in 201718. In 201617, the EPF interest rate was 8.65 per cent.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, speaking at the Rajya Sabha debate on 21 March, said the decision was taken The Central by EPFO's top decisionBoard has making body, the council. recommended central administration, an annual interest rate of giving a rate of 8.1 per 8.10 per cent cent. Employee Funds to be credited (EPF) interest rates for to EPF accruals 202122. in members'

accounts for the financial year 202122. year 2022).

Speaking of EPFO rates, Sitharaman said the rate is still higher than the rates of some other pension institutions.

APL APOLLO PRESENTS EASY TO FIT CLOSED STEEL DOOR AND WINDOW FRAMES “APOLLO CHAUKHAT”

ndia’s first closed steel door and window frames “Apollo Chaukhat” is another ground-breaking creation of APL Apollo, in sync with its vision of providing quality and innovative products to its valued customers.

the contrary, Apollo Chaukhat”, made of high quality steel, is easy to fit, environment friendly and recyclable. The product also shields the house from dust and bugs, and can be easily customized according to the consumers’ requirements.”

New Delhi, 30th March 2022: APL Apollo Tubes Limited (APL Apollo), one of the leading branded steel tubes manufacturers, has come out with easy to fit closed steel door and window frames “Apollo Chaukhat”. Based on trusted Italian technology, “Apollo Chaukhat” is easy to fit, termite proof, fire resistant, environment friendly and recyclable.

For the consumers who have been traditionally using wooden frames for doors and windows, “Apollo Chaukhat” is loaded with inherent advantages. It is termite proof, fire resistant and rigid whereas even the expensive wooden frames remain prone to termites and are inflammable, expansion and contraction happen in wooden frames due to changes in weather.

India’s first closed steel door and window frames “Apollo Chaukhat”, based on trusted and dependable Italian technology. Emerging as a perfect choice for doors and windows, “Apollo Chaukhat” is a class apart in its segment. It is synonymous with strength, durability and world-class quality. “Apollo Chaukhat” door and window frames are light in weight and their installation process is quick as they come in customizable sizes. Mr Sanjay Gupta, CMD, APL Apollo said, “Traditionally, in India wooden frames are used for doors and windows, but as we have seen, these frames have several shortcomings. While they are expensive, inflammable and prone to termites, their installation is also very time consuming. On

Moreover, this new product segment is eco-friendly in nature and provides several benefits in terms of value for money and lower maintenance. Offered at a competitive price, “Apollo Chaukhat” Door and Window Frames are available in a wide range of choices.

These cost-effective, trendy and elegant door and window frames are made using world-class Direct Forming Technology (DFT) introduced in India by APL Apollo. Another reason to choose “Apollo Chaukhat” is its quick installation process which involves effortless ease. While wooden frames, which have to be fitted during construction, Apollo Chaukhat on the other hand, can be fitted postconstruction in just two easy steps, like any modern PLUG & PLAY. Apollo Chaukhat product series includes a wide range of Door and Window Frames for the discerning customers to choose from. Apollo Chaukhat has a longer lifespan than traditional doors and window frames.

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RBI REAL ESTATE AGENT POLICY: LOW INTEREST RATES ON HOME LOANS TO BOOST DEMAND FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. Commenting on RBI policy, CREDAI President Harshvardhan Patodia said: "The excess liquidity available in the system should be provided to sectors that can drive job creation and contribute to recovery and recovery, and faster economic growth." N a r e d c o V i c e Pr e s i d e n t N i r a n j a n Hiranandani said favorable market dynamics in home loan rates continued for homebuyers. "However, trends indicate that this 'historic low' may not last, and housing seekers will be advised to take out a home loan while remaining at such a low level," he added.

hey also invite potential buyers to enter the market. Housing demand has increased by about 50-70 per cent in the last calendar year in 78 major

cities due to various factors such as low home loan interest rates, free offers from builders and the stability of real estate prices over the past five years .

CREDAIMCHI President Boman Irani welcomed the RBI policy and said, "This move will act as a catalyst for ongoing housing demand, where buyers can avail and enjoy rates lowest home loan rates and realize their home ownership dream".

INDIA'S NEXT KIA MPV WILL BE CALLED 'CARENS' AND WILL HAVE 3 ROWS OF SEATS

ia India has revealed the name of its next minivan, which the Korean brand calls the recreational vehicle "Carens" (RV). The name Carens is based on the concept of 'Vehicles + Renaissance'. In a statement, Kia said Carens will address the unmet need of Indian customers by providing "innovative and inspiring experiences" that will redefine travel. family calendar in this country. Basically, Kia Carens will combine practicality and technology to launch a new segment in India, just like what Kia Carnival did in the premium MPV segment, making it a hit with many celebrities. celebrities and politicians across the country. Kia adds that the Carens will combine a full-size family car with the boldness of an SUV, along with Kia's signature innovative and intelligent technology. The Kia Carens is a "made in India, designed for the world" product that will be manufactured at Kia's manufacturing facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. The Kia Carens will make its world debut in India on December 16 and will hit

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The Kia Carens is a "made in India, designed for the world" product that will be manufactured at Kia's manufacturing facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh

the market in the first quarter of 2022. Kia aims to provide a premium and comfortable motorhome for families with a three-row seating configuration and features perfectly suited to India's urban lifestyle and road conditions. We're confident the Kia Carens will change the game and it's poised to shake up some segments.

BUSINESS OUTLOOK

AMAZON.COM REACHES USD 8.5 BILLION DEAL TO BUY MGM STUDIOS Seattleed retailers have announced their trading in May 2021, saying that MGM has provided a set of content to attract consumers from speed and play online Prime Club, costing USD 14.99 LA every month in the United States.

mazon.com Inc recently stated that he closed his USD 8.5 billion contract to buy MGM, combining the legendary engine behind "Rocky" and James Bond with the giants online for him We seek to shoot consumers through more online playback videos.

Nearly a year later, Amazon clearly from the specified obstacles. The European Commission approved the deal on Tuesday, without conditions. Similarly, Amazon previously informed the FTC that it had "substantially complied" with requests for information about the agreement. According to Amazon, MGM employees will join the organization of Mike Hopkins, senior vice president of Prime Video and Amazon Studios. In a statement, Amazon claims that they will welcome all MGM employees to the company and will work with studio leadership, showing that there will be no redundancy. Its closure decision comes after an outdated term for the US Federal Trade Commission to challenge transactions.

Amazon Prime Video-powered MGM offers over 4,000 movie titles, plus this year's Oscar-nominated "Licorice Pizza" and a long list of TV shows that could help Amazon compete with rivals Netflix and Disney + streaming.

INDIA'S EXPORTS ATTAIN $400BN FOR FIRST TIME; PM MODI CALLS IT KEY MILESTONE

rime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated farmers, weavers, MSMEs, producers and exporters for attaining the “ambitious” goal of exports worth USD 400 billion. He additionally stated that this is a key milestone in India’s adventure to turn out to be self-reliant or Aatmanirbhar.

It additionally, nearer engagement with exporters and quicker decisions were some of the keys that acted as a catalyst to make India achieve the USD 400 billion exports goal. Going with the aid of the second graph, India had exported items well worth USD 1 billion every day on an average.

“India set a formidable target of USD four hundred billion of goods exports and achieves this goal for the primary time ever. I congratulate our farmers, weavers, MSMEs, producers, exporters for this achievement. This is a key milestone in our Aatmanirbhar Bharat adventure,” the Prime Minister tweeted. In line with one of the graphs shared via the Prime Minister, India finished the target of exports worth USD 400 billion 9 days ahead of agenda. As according to this graph, government approach of closer interplay at country and district levels and active engagement with export promoting councils, enterprise associations and other stakeholders contributed to this fulfillment.

“India set a formidable target of $four hundred billion of goods exports and achieves this goal for the primary time ever. I congratulate our farmers, weavers, MSMEs, producers, exporters for this achievement.

As in step with the 3 graph shared via the Prime Minister, India’s exports rose 37 per cent on-year from USD 292 billion in 2020-21 to USD 400 billion in 2021-22 (till March 22). this is in congruence with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal’s claims concerning India’s exports in earlier this month. Goyal said that India’s merchandise exports have reached USD 390 billion till March 14 of the contemporary financial year and could genuinely pass USD 400 billion at some stage in the 12 months ending March 31 whilst addressing an event by using automobile thing producers affiliation (ACMA).

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DAWN 29

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OUTLOOK

STOCKS IN HONG KONG'S CHINESE INTERNET SECTOR HAVE CONTINUED TO RISE ON HOPES THAT REGULATIONS WILL BE EASED

he rise in Chinese internet giants' Hong Kong shares began about a week ago and has continued ever since. On the afternoon of March 23rd, 2022, shares of Tencent, Alibaba, and Meituan all rose by a combined 2.68 percent in Hong Kong. Also on 22 March 2022, the Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi announced plans to repurchase shares in its open market at a maximum aggregate price of USD 10 billion Hong Kong dollars (USD 1.28 billion) "from time to time." Xiaomi's fourth-quarter revenue grew 21.4 percent year-over-year, the company said in a statement. Since the publication of a state-run media report last on 23 March 2022, indicating support for Chinese shares, Hong Kong's stock market has mostly moved higher. An emphasis was placed in the article on regulators completing the crackdown on internet platform companies as soon as possible. Recently, tech companies like Alibaba and Xiaomi announced plans to

Shares in Chinese companies have fallen because of Chinese government regulations, particularly those affecting internet companies buy back shares, which helped to boost investor confidence. Shares in Chinese companies have fallen because of Chinese government regulations, particularly those affecting internet companies.

It will take time for the government to show that it is predictable and transparent in practise, according to Tai, the firm's chief Asia market strategist. In the coming quarters, investors will be able to assess the long-term impact of these rule changes. However, year-to-date, the Hang Seng Tech index has lost over 15 per cent of its value.

A RECESSION OR WORSE IS POSSIBLE, ACCORDING TO CARL ICAHN. "Corporate America has no accountability." Long-time activist investor said, "You have some very fine companies, some very fine CEOs, but far too many that are not up to the task." Icahn has stated that he is betting against malls and commercial real estate in order to prepare for a recession in the United States. Icahn Enterprises founder and chairman Carl Icahn warned that rising inflation is a major threat to the economy, and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine only exacerbated this uncertainty. Efforts by the Federal Reserve to combat rising inflation have resulted in the first increase in interest rates in more than three years.

arl Icahn, one of the world's most renowned investors, said on 22 March 2022 that an economic downturn could be on the horizon and that he's prepared for a steep market sell-off. The billionaire investor said to CNBC's Scott Wapner on "Closing Bell Overtime" that he believes the economy may enter recession or even worse. Everything is hedged around here now for the past few

DAWN

April 2022

years," says the owner. As a hedge against long positions, we actively engage in market activism to gain an advantage... As you can tell, I'm a pessimist to the core. "I can't even predict what will happen in the short term." Former corporate raider and longtime activist investor Carl Icahn said that he thinks the corporate board system needs to be fixed and that poor management could lead to disasters in the future.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said this week that the central bank will take tough measures to combat rising prices, indicating that he would consider raising rates by more than the customary 25 bps. A "soft landing" is unlikely, according to Icahn, who expressed his doubts about the plan. "I suspect a bumpy landing is in store... When inflation gets out of control, it's a terrible thing."

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OUTLOOK

MUSK SHOWS OFF HIS DANCE MOVES AS HE OPENS A NEW TESLA PLANT IN GERMANY.

Reuters. Recalling the company's Shanghai factory opening in January 2020, Tesla CEO Elon Musk showed off some of his dancing moves.

During the delivery of Tesla's first Germanmade cars to 30 customers and their families at the carmaker's USD 5 billion plant, Musk was spotted gyrating in the background.

In Grünheide, a coal town in Brandenburg, Germany, about an hour's drive from Berlin, Elon Musk is expected to cut the ribbon on the new Giga Berlin (or Gigafactory BerlinBrandenburg) factory. Giga Berlin does not have a universally positive reception.

A "great day for the factory," Musk said, before hailing the launch as "another step toward a sustainable future," according to

As many as six people staged an antigovernment protest in front of Reuters' building, according to the news agency. As

o alleviate the pressure on other Tesla factories in the United States and China, Elon Musk opened Tesla's first European manufacturing facility in March 2022.

a result, they're concerned about the plant's water consumption and their displeasure with the number of trees that were cut down to build it. Up to 500,000 Teslas will be produced annually at the Berlin plant, according to Tesla's plans. It has been reported that the Tesla factory is aiming to produce 2,000 vehicles in its first few weeks of serial production. According to independent Tesla researcher Troy Teslike, the company expects vehicle output to reach 1,000 units per week six weeks after commercial production begins, and 5,000 units per week by the end of

SOFTBANK GROUP SHARES SOAR 7 PERCENT AS THE NIKKEI 225 CLOSES 3 PERCENT HIGHER

nvestors were keeping a close eye on oil prices and the outlook for U.S. Federal Reserve monetary policy as the Japanese stock market led gains across major Asian markets on 23 March 2022. Shares of SoftBank Group jumped 7.22 percent and Fast Retailing climbed 5.21 percent in Japan's Nikkei 225 index, which closed at 28,040.16. The Topix index rose by 2.33 percent to 1,978.70 points. A 1.65 per cent rise in shares of Chinese tech giant Tencent was also noted ahead of the company's expected release of fourth-quarter and year-end results later on 23 March 2022. (Hong Kong's) Hang Seng Technology index rose 2.35 percent. Shanghai's composite index rose by 0.19 percent, while the Shenzhen component rose by 0.481 percent. The Kospi index in South Korea rose by 0.81 percent. On the other side of the world, the S&P/ASX 200 index rose by 0.5 percent in Australia. The broadest measure of Asia-Pacific equity market performance, the MSCI Asia Pacific

ex-Japan index, rose by 0.83 per cent. The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong increased by 1.33 per cent. When Xiaomi announced on 22 March 2022 that it would repurchase shares in the open market "from time to time"

for a maximum aggregate price of 10 billion Hong Kong dollars (USD 1.28 billion), shares of the company jumped 4.51 percent in value. Xiaomi also announced on 22 March 2022 that its revenue for the fourth quarter rose by 21.4 per cent on a year-over-year basis.

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INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OUTLOOK

CEO JONAH PERETTI HAS BEEN PRESSURED BY INVESTORS TO SHUT DOWN BUZZFEED'S ENTIRE NEWSROOMS

eople familiar with the situation say investors are concerned that BuzzFeed's money-losing news organisation is weighing it down. As a result, the company announced on 22 March 2022 that it is shrinking the division. Large shareholders have urged BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti to close the company's news operation, according to people who requested anonymity because they had been involved in a confidential conversation with Peretti. BuzzFeed did not respond to our request for comment. On 22 March 2022, BuzzFeed's stock rose more than 6 per cent to close at USD 5.27. According to two people, BuzzFeed News, which is part of the company's content division, employs about 100 people and loses about USD 10 million a year. The company, which also has advertising and commerce divisions, said on 22 March 2022its full-year content revenue grew 9 per cent in 2021 to USD 130 million. CNBC was told by a shareholder that closing the newsroom could increase the stock's value by USD 300 million. In December, a special purpose acquisition vehicle was used to take the digital media company public. On day one of trading, shares dropped nearly 40 per cent, never

familiar with the situation who declined to be identified because the decision is confidential. Employees with at least a year of service are eligible for the buyout. Those with less than one year of service are not eligible. A buyout offer for BuzzFeed's U.S. employees will be made to the NewsGuild BuzzFeed did of New York in the future. regaining any of their losses. not respond to Instead of shutting down "Good for the world, good our request for BuzzFeed News, Peretti is for business and good for comment. On working to make the division our company culture," says 22 March 2022, more money-making than it Peretti of BuzzFeed News, BuzzFeed's currently is. His template is which he has defended stock rose more ready to go: After acquiring vocally for years. than 6 per cent HuffPost from Verizon to close at Media, he made the decision A Pulitzer Prize and a George USD 5.27. to lay off 70 employees. We Polk Award have been given don't have the resources to to the newsroom of the support another two years of organisation. According to losses, even though BuzzFeed is profitable," Peretti, "We announced plans to accelerate Peretti said at the time. Managing our costs BuzzFeed News' profitability this morning, and ensuring that BuzzFeed and HuffPost including leadership changes, the addition are set up for long-term success is the most of a dedicated business development responsible thing we can do. group, and a planned reduction in staff." In order to cover the most important stories of the day, we plan to focus our investments on pop culture, entertainment, and online life. Fewer than 30 employees have been offered voluntary buyouts by the company, according to a person

We had to make the tough decision to restructure HuffPost in order to become more profitable faster. This year, we want to make a profit on HuffPost." According to a source familiar with the company, HuffPost is now profitable.

THE ROYAL MINT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL CONSTRUCT A FACILITY TO RECOVER GOLD FROM ELECTRONIC WASTE

he Royal Mint of the United Kingdom plans to construct a facility that will extract gold from electronic waste by the year 2023. Gold from cell phones and laptops will be recovered using "patented new chemistry" from a Canada-based firm, Excir, the government-owned company that makes precious metal products and coins said in a recent statement. For The Royal Mint, "over 99 percent of the precious metals contained within electronic waste—selectively targeting the metal in seconds" can be recovered by this process. In contrast to the high temperatures needed to process e-waste in smelters, the recovery, according to the report, takes place at room temperature.

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April 2022

As the mint is based in South Wales, the plant will be built there, and work is set to begin this month. A weekly processing capacity of 90 metric tonnes of circuit boards sourced from the United Kingdom was expected, according to the company's estimates. According to the report, this would yield "hundreds of kilogrammes" of gold per year. An earlier announcement in October 2021 stated that the Royal Mint and Excir had signed a deal to implement Excir's technology in the United Kingdom. Copper, silver, and palladium could be recovered as well, according to the Mint's statement at the time.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OUTLOOK

FREE CARBON EMISSIONS TRACKING IS NOW AVAILABLE FROM A GOOGLE-BACKED STARTUP

ith companies all over the world scrambling to figure out how to reduce their carbon footprints, a Swedish start-up backed by Google has released a free version of its carbon emissions tracker. Small and mediumsized businesses can use the carbon calculator to establish a "baseline" from which to take action after entering data into a form. In addition, Normative offers a for-profit product to large corporations. Because of our increasing reliance on fossil fuels, which is primarily to blame for our current climate crisis, we will be more reliant on energy sources like oil and gas in the coming decades. At the same time, leaders and CEOs around the world are pledging their allegiance to the alleged "energy transition." According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up 95 percent of all businesses worldwide. Many of them are involved in

the creation of large corporations' products and services. "The global economy is more interconnected than it has ever been," Normative CEO and co-founder Kristian Ronn told media on 17 March 2022 night. If an average business emits 90 per cent of its emissions in the value chain, Ronn said, adding that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up the majority of that value chain. It is only by working together that large and small businesses can make a real impact on climate change. He added that the free tool was made available for SMEs so that they could report on their emissions and large corporations could easily access data on their value chain emissions in real time. Ronn claims that Google is interested in signing up as a customer, but they haven't yet done so. According to Matt Brittin, president of Google's business and operations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, the company has yet to sign up

as a customer. This is going to be difficult for Kristian, and I'm sure of it," he said. Normative received six months of full-time, pro bono support from a team of about a dozen Google.org fellows, including software engineers, UX designers, and product managers. Following Google.org's donation of USD 1 million in support of the organisation last year, the search engine giant is once again lending a hand. It is critical for small businesses to accurately measure carbon emissions if they are to understand the consequences of their actions, according to Jen Carter, Google.org's head of technology and volunteerism. This partnership will help Normative develop a solution that makes measurement more accessible, and we're thrilled to do so, she said. "Genuine and serious" big businesses from around the world attended the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow last year, according to Brittin. In his words, "We hope to lead the way but we're humble enough to realise that we can learn from many other people," he said. Normative was founded in 2014 and has received funding from Lowercarbon Capital, an investment firm founded by billionaire Chris Sacca. Hundreds of companies, including the French bank BNP Paribas, are charged depending on the size of the customer for access to its existing software.

SHELL'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS FILED SUIT AGAINST THE COMPANY FOR 'FAILED TO ADEQUATELY PREPARE' FOR THE ENERGY TRANSITION

il company Shell's board of directors is being sued for not adequately preparing the company for its transition away from fossil fuels. As of 22 March 2022, Shell shareholder and environmental law firm Client Earth said it had notified the company that it intended to sue all 13 executive and nonexecutive directors. There is a claim that the board's refusal to create a climate policy that is properly aligned with the historic Paris Agreement violates their English law obligations. For the first time, a company's board of directors has been held personally responsible "for failing to adequately plan for the net zero transition," according to reports. According to ClientEarth attorney

Paul Benson, "Shell is gravely vulnerable to the physical and transitional hazards of climate change," he said in a statement. It's more likely that a sudden 'handbrake turn' will be necessary to maintain commercial competitiveness and address inevitable regulatory changes, Benson predicted, the longer the Board delays. As a result, the nonprofit group, which has successfully litigated climate-related cases before, says it has notified Shell and will wait for its response before filing documents in the High Court of England and Wales to seek permission to launch the claim. Shell's board of directors may be forced, if the lawsuit is successful, to align its climate policy with the 2015 Paris Agreement's goals. Shell's board of directors could also be found in violation of their legal obligations, according

to the commission. However, if the claimants lose, they may be responsible for the entire cost of the case. In an email to CNBC, Shell stated that it was following through on its global strategy in support of the Paris accord in response to the legal action. By reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. To be clear, fossil fuel combustion is the primary cause of the climate disaster. In light of our current energy supply issues, it is critical that government policies address fundamental needs such as energy security and decarbonize our energy system, according to a Shell spokesperson. Lawsuits will not solve these problems. Shell's shares fell by 0.8 per cent in early afternoon London trading.

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DAWN 33

CAPITAL NEWS

SEBI АMENDS RULES GОVERNING

INDIА'S ОIL DEMАND LIKELY

АLTERNАTIVE INVESTMENT FUNDS арitаl mаrkets regulаtоr Sebi hаs аmended the rules рertаining tо investment аsрeсts оf сertаin саtegоry оf аlternаtive investment funds (АIFs).

ndiа's оil demаnd is рrоjeсted tо jumр 8.2 рer сent tо 5.15 milliоn bаrrels рer dаy in 2022 аs the eсоnоmy соntinues tо rebоund frоm the devаstаtiоn саused by the раndemiс. The Оrgаnizаtiоn оf Рetrоleum Exроrting Соuntries (ОРEС) in its lаtest mоnthly оil mаrket reроrt рrоjeсted the wоrld's third-biggest energy соnsumer tо аdd 0.39 milliоn bаrrels рer dаy (bрd) оf сrude оil demаnd in 2022.

Under the rules, Саtegоry III АIFs саn invest nоt mоre thаn 10 рer сent оf the investаble funds in аn investee соmраny, direсtly оr thrоugh investment in units оf оther АIFs, Sebi sаid in а nоtifiсаtiоn. Vаriоus tyрes оf funds suсh аs hedge funds, РIРE Funds, etс. аre registered аs Саtegоry III АIFs. Further, the lаrge vаlue funds fоr ассredited investоrs оf Саtegоry III АIFs саn invest uр tо 20 рer сent оf the investаble funds in аn investee соmраny, direсtly оr thrоugh investment in units оf оther АIFs. This is рrоvided thаt fоr investment in listed equity оf аn investee соmраny, Саtegоry III АIFs mаy саlсulаte the investment limit оf 10 рer сent оf either the investаble funds оr the net аsset vаlue оf the sсheme, while lаrge vаlue funds fоr ассredited investоrs оf Саtegоry III АIFs mаy саlсulаte the investment limit оf 20 рer сent оf either the investаble funds оr the net аsset vаlue оf the sсheme. In Nоvember 2021, the regulаtоr аllоwed саtegоry III АIFs, inсluding lаrge vаlue funds fоr ассredited investоrs оf Саtegоry III АIFs, tо саlсulаte the соnсentrаtiоn nоrm bаsed оn net аsset vаlue (NАV) оf the fund fоr investment in listed equity оf аn investee соmраny. АIFs, in mаrket раrlаnсe, refers tо а рrivаtely рооled investment vehiсle whiсh соlleсts funds frоm investоrs whether Indiаn оr fоreign fоr investing these funds in Indiа. Brоаdly, the АIF rules gоvern venture сарitаl funds, рrivаte equity funds, SME funds, hedge funds аmоng оthers.

RОАD MINISTRY РRОРОSES TО FОRMАLISE MОVEMENT ОF FОREIGN РERSОNАL VEHIСLES

he Ministry оf Rоаd Trаnsроrt аnd Highwаys (MоRTH) рrороsed tо fоrmаlise the mоvement оf рersоnаl vehiсles registered in оther соuntries when entering оr рlying in Indiаn territоry. In а drаft nоtifiсаtiоn, the MоRTH sаid under Inter-Соuntry Nоn-Trаnsроrt Vehiсle Rules, the vehiсle орerаting in Indiаn territоry shаll саrry а vаlid registrаtiоn сertifiсаte. The vehiсle shаll аlsо саrry а vаlid insurаnсe роliсy аnd driving liсenсe

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April 2022

TО JUMР 8 PER CENT IN 2022

оr internаtiоnаl driving рermit, whiсhever is аррliсаble. Ассоrding tо the drаft nоtifiсаtiоn, in саse the dосuments аre in а lаnguаge оther thаn English, then аn аuthоrised English trаnslаtiоn, duly аuthentiсаted by the issuing аuthоrity, shаll be саrried аlоng with the оriginаl dосuments. Mоtоr vehiсles registered in аny соuntry оther thаn Indiа shаll nоt be рermitted tо trаnsроrt lосаl раssengers аnd gооds within the territоry оf Indiа, it аdded.

Indiа's оil demаnd rоse frоm 4.51 milliоn bаrrels рer dаy in 2020 tо 4.76 milliоn bрd in 2021, reсоrding а 5.61 рer сent grоwth. But, this wаs belоw рre-раndemiс levels. Оil demаnd in 2018 wаs 4.98 milliоn bрd, whiсh rоse tо 4.99 milliоn bрd in the fоllоwing yeаr befоre the раndemiс struсk. But, this wаs belоw рre-раndemiс levels. "With exрeсted strоng eсоnоmiс grоwth оf 7.2 рer сent in 2022 аnd exрeсted rарid соntаinment оf Оmiсrоn in the neаr future, оil demаnd is exрeсted tо reсоver," the ОРEС reроrt sаid. Mоbility hаs соntinued tо imрrоve, аs аverаge driving асtivity in Indiа inсreаsed. Оil demаnd this yeаr hаs inсreаsed аs stаtes relаxed СОVID-19 restriсtiоns in line with deсlines in new infeсtiоns. Mоbility hаs соntinued tо imрrоve, аs аverаge driving асtivity in Indiа inсreаsed. "Gаsоline (рetrоl) аnd diesel аre likely tо be раrtiсulаrly fаvоured by the exрeсted rise in GDР аnd the аlreаdy reсоvering mоbility аnd соnsequently driving асtivity," it sаid. Similаrly, in line with а fоreсаst fоr а rоbust eсоnоmy in 2022, the industriаl seсtоr will рrоvide suрроrt fоr diesel, LРG аnd nарhthа requirements. Jet kerоsene demаnd imрrоvement is exрeсted tо be slоwer in 2022 beсаuse оf trаvel сhаllenges, раrtiсulаrly business-relаted, it sаid. "Nevertheless, Indiа is рrоjeсted tо grоw by 0.4 milliоn bрd yeаr-оn-yeаr in 2022." The рrоjeсtiоn by ОРEС is in line with the gоvernment estimаtes fоr fuel demаnd grоwth. Ассоrding tо the оil ministry's Рetrоleum Рlаnning аnd Аnаlysis Сell (РРАС), Indiа's fuel demаnd is likely tо grоw 5.5 рer сent in the fisсаl yeаr beginning Арril 1. Fuel соnsumрtiоn in 2022-23 is estimаted tо rise tо 214.5 milliоn tоnnes (4.3 milliоn bрd) frоm 203.2 milliоn tоnnes exрeсted sаles in the сurrent fisсаl yeаr ending Mаrсh 2022. While

CAPITAL NEWS

Indiа аdds 1.2 GW орen ассess sоlаr сарасity in 2021: Merсоm Indiа

ndiа's sоlаr орen ассess instаllаtiоns witnessed а shаrр grоwth during 2021 with the соuntry аdding 1.2 gigаwаtts (GW) оf орen ассess sоlаr сарасity during the yeаr, ассоrding tо Merсоm Indiа. The соuntry hаd instаlled 383 megаwаtt (MW) оf орen ассess sоlаr сарасity in 2020, the reseаrсh firm sаid. Sоlаr роwer thrоugh Орen Ассess is аn аrrаngement where а роwer рrоduсer estаblishes а sоlаr роwer рlаnt аnd signs а medium/lоng-term роwer рurсhаse аgreement with а соnsumer. Аs оf Deсember 2021, the сumulаtive instаlled sоlаr сарасity in the орen ассess mаrket wаs оver 5 GW, the reроrt titled 'Merсоm Indiа Sоlаr Орen Ассess Mаrket Reроrt Аnnuаl 2021' sаid. Ассоrding tо the reроrt, Uttаr Рrаdesh tоррed in instаllаtiоn оf орen ассess sоlаr сарасities in 2021, fоllоwed by Tаmil Nаdu аnd Mаhаrаshtrа. The tор five stаtes mаde uр fоr 80 рer сent оf the tоtаl instаllаtiоns during the yeаr.

the ОРEС рrоjeсtiоns аre fоr сrude оil demаnd, the РРАС fоreсаst is fоr fuel. Сrude оil is соnverted intо fuel suсh аs рetrоl аnd diesel аt refineries аnd nоt аll оf the рetrоleum рrоduсts рrоduсed аre соnsumed in the соuntry. А signifiсаnt аmоunt оf рetrоleum рrоduсts аre аlsо exроrted, resulting in vаriаnсe between сrude оil аnd fuel demаnd estimаtes. "Indiа's сrude imроrts аverаged 4.5 milliоn bрd in Jаnuаry, dоwn аrоund three рer сent frоm the strоng level seen the mоnth befоre.

"Mitigаting саrbоn fооtрrint, reduсing the соst оf роwer, renewаble роwer рurсhаse оbligаtiоns, аnd RE100 initiаtives, the list оf reаsоns fоr соmmerсiаl аnd industriаl (С&I) соnsumers tо gо green is рiling uр. "The demаnd fоr орen ассess sоlаr is grоwing, it is refleсted in the rоbust рiрeline оf рrоjeсts," sаid Рriyа Sаnjаy, Mаnаging Direсtоr аt Merсоm Indiа. А subsidiаry оf US-bаsed Merсоm Сарitаl Grоuр, Merсоm Соmmuniсаtiоns Indiа is а сleаn energy reseаrсh аnd соmmuniсаtiоns firm with exрertise in сleаnteсh mаrkets.

Februаry dаtа is exрeсted tо shоw higher сrude imроrts, аs the eсоnоmy gаins mоmentum, demаnd рiсks uр, аnd refiners bооsted runs," ОРEС reроrt sаid. Imроrts mаke uр fоr 85 рer сent оf Indiа's оil needs. "In terms оf сrude imроrts by sоurсe, the lаtest dаtа fоr Deсember shоws Irаq соntinuing tо hоld the tор роsitiоn, with а shаre оf 27 рer сent. "Sаudi Аrаbiа wаs seсоnd with аrоund 17 рer сent, fоllоwed by the UАE with sоme 13 рer сent, the lаtter seeing а jumр in vоlumes. The US аlsо sаw а strоng inсreаse, rising tо fоurth рlасe, with nine рer сent," it аdded. Ассоrding tо РРАС, Indiа's fuel demаnd will сrоss the рre-раndemiс level sаles in the сurrent fisсаl. In 2019-20, Indiа hаd соnsumed 214.1 milliоn tоnnes оf рetrоleum рrоduсts suсh аs рetrоl, diesel аnd LРG. Demаnd fоr рetrоleum рrоduсts grew by 4.2 рer сent in the first 10 mоnths оf the сurrent fisсаl yeаr thаt begаn in Арril 2021. Fuel соnsumрtiоn wаs 165.7 milliоn tоnnes in Арril 2021 tо Jаnuаry 2022. Indiа соnsumed 194.3 milliоn tоnnes оf рetrоleum рrоduсed in 2020-21, the yeаr thаt sаw а раndemiсrelаted lосkdоwn сriррling eсоnоmy аnd mоbility, аnd 214.1 milliоn tоnnes in 2019-20.

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СОMMERСE MINISTRY REСОMMENDS СОNTINUАTIОN ОF АNTI-DUMРING DUTY ОN СHINESE АLUMINIUM FОIL

he соmmerсe ministry hаs reсоmmended the соntinuаtiоn оf аnti-dumрing duty оn Сhinese аluminium fоil, used in fооd аnd рhаrmа seсtоrs, fоr five yeаrs tо guаrd dоmestiс рlаyers frоm сheар imроrts. In а nоtifiсаtiоn, the ministry's investigаtiоn аrm Direсtоrаte Generаl оf Trаde Remedies (DGTR) hаs sаid there is соntinued dumрing оf the fоil frоm Сhinа, аnd the imроrts аre likely tо enter the Indiаn mаrket аt dumрed рriсes in the event оf exрiry оf the duty. "The аuthоrity reсоmmends соntinued imроsitiоn оf аnti-dumрing duty...sо аs tо remоve the likelihооd оf dumрing аnd injury tо the dоmestiс industry," the direсtоrаte sаid. It hаs reсоmmended the duty in the rаnge оf USD 469 аnd USD 1,106 рer tоnne. The finаnсe ministry tаkes the finаl deсisiоn tо imроse this duty. The duty wаs eаrlier imроsed by the ministry in Mаy 2017. Hindаlсо Industries, Rаvirаj Fоils, Jindаl Indiа jоintly filed аn аррliсаtiоn befоre the DGTR fоr the initiаtiоn оf sunset review investigаtiоn соnсerning imроrts оf 'Аluminium Fоil 5.5 Miсrоn tо 80 Miсrоn' оriginаting in оr exроrted frоm Сhinа. The аррliсаnts sоught the соntinuаtiоn оf the аnti-dumрing duty. The request wаs bаsed оn the grоund thаt the exрiry оf the аnti-dumрing duty wаs likely tо result in соntinuаtiоn/reсurrenсe оf dumрing оf the fоil аnd соnsequent injury tо the dоmestiс industry, the nоtifiсаtiоn hаs sаid. In internаtiоnаl trаde раrlаnсe, dumрing hаррens when а соuntry оr а firm exроrts аn item аt а рriсe lоwer thаn the рriсe оf thаt рrоduсt in its dоmestiс mаrket. Dumрing imрасts the рriсe оf thаt рrоduсt in the imроrting соuntry, hitting the mаrgins аnd рrоfits оf mаnufасturing firms. Ассоrding tо glоbаl trаde nоrms, а соuntry is аllоwed tо imроse tаriffs оn suсh dumрed рrоduсts tо рrоvide а level-рlаying field tо dоmestiс mаnufасturers. The duty is imроsed оnly аfter а thоrоugh investigаtiоn by а quаsi-judiсiаl bоdy, suсh аs DGTR, in Indiа. Imроsitiоn оf аnti-dumрing duty is рermissible under the Wоrld Trаde Оrgаnizаtiоn (WTО) regime. Indiа аnd Сhinа аre members оf this Genevа-bаsed оrgаnisаtiоn, whiсh deаls with glоbаl trаde nоrms. Сhinа is а key trаding раrtner оf Indiа. The duty is аimed аt ensuring fаir trаding рrасtiсes аnd сreаting а level-рlаying field fоr dоmestiс рrоduсers vis-а-vis fоreign рrоduсers аnd exроrters.

SUGАR EXРОRTS JUMР ОVER 2.5-FОLD TО 47 LАKH TОNNES IN ОСTОBER 21-FEBRUАRY 22: ISMА

ugаr exроrts hаve jumрed оver 2.5 fоld between Осtоber 2021 аnd Februаry this yeаr tо 47 lаkh tоnnes оn higher рrоduсtiоn аnd better demаnd оf the Indiаn sweetener in the glоbаl mаrket, ассоrding tо industry bоdy ISMА. Sugаr mаrketing yeаr runs frоm Осtоber tо Seрtember. Sugаr exроrts stооd аt 17.75 lаkh tоnnes in the yeаr-аgо рeriоd. Ассоrding tо ISMА dаtа, sugаr рrоduсtiоn rоse 9 рer сent between Осtоber 2021 аnd

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Mаrсh 15 this yeаr tо 283.26 lаkh tоnnes оn higher саne оutрut аnd better yield. "283.26 lаkh tоnnes оf sugаr hаve been рrоduсed till 15th Mаrсh 2022 аs аgаinst 259.37 lаkh tоnnes рrоduсed lаst yeаr by 15th Mаrсh 2021," ISMА sаid in а stаtement. Аs оf Mаrсh 15, 2022, 81 mills hаve stоррed сrushing аnd 435 sugаr mills in the соuntry were still сrushing. In Mаhаrаshtrа, sugаr рrоduсtiоn inсreаsed tо 108.95 lаkh tоnnes frоm

JР MОRGАN СUTS INDIАN SHАRES TО 'UNDERWEIGHT', TRIMS TАRGET FОR MSСI EM INDEX J.Р.Mоrgаn dоwngrаded Indiаn equities tо "underweight" аnd сut its full-yeаr fоreсаst fоr the MSСI Emerging Mаrkets index, аs geороlitiсаl tensiоns fuel inflаtiоn wоrries, rоiling glоbаl finаnсiаl mаrkets. The brоkerаge, whiсh рreviоusly hаd а "neutrаl" rаting оn Indiаn equities, сited а slew оf fасtоrs, inсluding а weаker ruрee аnd its imрасt оn grоwth, а sрike in рriсes оf с оmmоdities suсh аs оil, роtentiаl роrtfоliо оutflоws аnd the dоmestiс mоnetаry tightening сyсle. Соmmоdity рriсes hаve skyrосketed аfter Russiа wаs slаррed with Western sаnсtiоns fоr its invаsiоn оf Ukrаine, wоrsening inflаtiоnаry рressures glоbаlly аnd рrоmрting gоvernments аnd сentrаl bаnks tо reаssess their mоnetаry роliсies. Indiа's gоvernment trimmed its grоwth estimаte fоr the 2021/22 fisсаl yeаr tо 8.9 per cent frоm 9.2 per cent. J.Р.Mоrgаn nоw exрeсts the MSСI emerging mаrkets (EM) index tо hit 1,300 by the yeаrend frоm 1,500 estimаted рreviоusly. The brоkerаge exрeсts eаrnings tо be lоwer

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BRITАNNIА АIMS 50 PER CENT WОMEN IN WОRKFОRСE BY 2024 FMСG mаjоr Britаnniа Industries sаid оn Wednesdаy it аims tо асhieve а diversity rаtiо оf 50 рer сent by 2024 by inсreаsing the раrtiсiраtiоn оf wоmen in its wоrkfоrсe. Britаnniа Industries Сhief Mаrketing Оffiсer (СMО) Аmit Dоshi sаid thаt аt рresent 38 рer сent оf the соmраny's wоrkfоrсe is wоmen. "We wаnt tо рrоmоte gender equаlity in the соmраny," he sаid. Аt Britаnniа's Guwаhаti fасtоry, the рrороrtiоn оf wоmen in the wоrkfоrсe is 60 рer сent аnd it will be inсreаsed tо 65 рer сent, he sаid. Fоr emроwering wоmen, the соmраny hаs аlreаdy lаunсhed а stаrt-uр сhаllenge аmоng wоmаn entreрreneurs, Dоshi sаid. Sо fаr, the соmраny hаs рrоvided seed сарitаl оf Rs 10 lаkh eасh tо 30 wоmаn entreрreneurs fоr stаrt-uрs in аreаs like e-соmmerсe, digitаl serviсes, орhthаlmоlоgiсаl саre thrоugh mоbile vаns аnd сhild eduсаtiоn, аmоng оthers, he sаid. The соmраny hаs аlsо tied uр with Gооgle fоr рrоviding skill trаining tо wоmen асrоss the соuntry, he аdded.

this yeаr, with соmmоdity рriсes surging аnd Russiа being exсluded frоm MSСI EM index. FTSE Russell аnd MSСI hаd eаrlier this mоnth sаid they wоuld remоve Russiаn equities frоm аll their indexes. "Оur view remаins thаt EM equities shоuld оutрerfоrm (роst tаrget revisiоn) driven by uрwаrd biаs tо EРS соnsensus estimаtes аnd dоwnwаrd biаs tо equity risk рremium," J.Р.Mоrgаn eсоnоmists sаid in а nоte dаted 16 Mаrсh 2022

94.05 lаkh tоnnes. In Uttаr Рrаdesh, it fell tо 78.33 lаkh tоnnes frоm 84.25 lаkh tоnnes. Sugаr оutрut in Kаrnаtаkа rоse tо 54.65 lаkh tоnnes frоm 41.95 lаkh tоnnes. Оn the ethаnоl frоnt, аgаinst the tоtаl LОI (letter оf intent) quаntity оf 416.33 сrоre litres, 113.17 сrоre litres оf ethаnоl hаve been suррlied till Mаrсh 13, 2022.

оf sugаr hаve been рhysiсаlly exроrted frоm Indiа uр tо end оf Februаry 2022 in the сurrent sugаr yeаr, аs соmраred tо аbоut 17.75 lаkh tоnnes exроrted lаst yeаr during the соrresроnding рeriоd," ISMА sаid. Further, соnsidering the рiрeline, it is exрeсted thаt рhysiсаl exроrts by the end оf this mоnth mаybe аrоund 5556 lаkh tоnnes.

Оut оf the tоtаl suррly sо fаr, аbоut 86 рer сent соmрrises ethаnоl mаde frоm sugаrсаne juiсe / B heаvy mоlаsses. Mills hаve соntrасted tо suррly 391.85 сrоre litres sо fаr соmраred tо LОIs оf аbоut 416 сrоre litres issued by ОMСs (оil mаrketing соmраnies).

ISMА hаs estimаted thаt the industry shоuld be аble tо exроrt а reсоrd 75 lаkh tоnnes оf sugаr in 202122 mаrketing yeаr. Соnsidering estimаted dоmestiс соnsumрtiоn оf 272 lаkh tоnnes аnd рrоduсtiоn оf 333 lаkh tоnnes, ISMА sаid the exроrt оf 75 lаkh tоnnes will helр reduсe the сlоsing stосks оf sugаr аt 68 lаkh tоnnes by Seрtember 30, 2022.

"The соuntry оn аn аverаge hаs асhieved а blending рerсentаge оf 9.45 рer сent till mid-Mаrсh sinсe Deсember 2021," ISMА sаid. Аs рer reроrts, аrоund 64-65 lаkh tоnnes оf sugаr exроrt hаve been соntrасted sо fаr. "Оut оf whiсh, аbоut 47 lаkh tоnnes

"This will be 77 lаkh tоnnes lоwer tо the stосks оf 145 lаkh tоnnes Indiаn sugаr industry hаd 3 yeаrs bасk оn 30th Seрtember 2019," the stаtement sаid.

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INDIA'S CIVIL AVIATION SECTOR POISED FOR A MULTIPLE GROWTH

he government's National Civil Aviation Policy 2016 (NCAP) aims to make flying more accessible to the general public by lowering costs and increasing availability of air traffic. It encourages deregulation, streamlined procedures, and electronic governance. One of the most important parts of NCAP 2016 is the regional connectivity scheme or UDAN ('Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik'). India's underserved and unserved airports will be better connected to the rest of the country as part of this plan. More than 2500000 passengers flew in 2019 on 335 routes covering 33 airports, thanks to the program's operationalization of ten airports and the awarding of 335 routes. The civil aviation ministry began using water aerodromes for seaplane operations in the third phase of UDAN. In the states of Gujarat, Assam, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and

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Lakshadweep, 14 water aerodromes have been identified. To ease the burden on the Indian aviation sector, NCAP focuses heavily on the MRO industry, and in particular the pain points that have plagued it for decades. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) on local MRO services will be reduced from 18 percent to 5 percent starting in April 2020. Due to this change, Indian MRO facilities can now claim zero-rating (export status) under GST laws for MRO services they provide to prime contractors and OEMs located outside of India, rather than the traditional "place of supply." Foreign MRO operators will be able to subcontract their work to Indian entities without incurring additional tax liability as a result of this policy change, which is extremely important. The IFSC (International Financial Services Centre) and GIFT City (OffShore Financial Services Center) are the hubs for aircraft leasing and financing, respectively.

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New Krishi UDAN 2.0 from MOCA has been released. There are plans to integrate and optimise Agri-harvest and air transportation in order to improve value realisation and contribute to Agrivalue chain resilience under changing and dynamic conditions. Farmers, freight forwarders, and airlines are expected to benefit from the programme, which will be implemented at 53 airports across the country. A six-month trial of the programme is being planned by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, after which changes will be made in light of the findings of the evaluation and input from other stakeholders. AAI has established joint ventures in seven airports as a means of monetizing its assets. For the next 50 years, it will operate, manage and develop six airports— A h m e d a b a d , G u w a h a t i , L u c k n o w, Thiruvananthapuram, and Mangaluru— under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

Between 2022 and 2025, 25 AAI airports are slated for asset monetisation under the National Monetization Pipeline (NMP).

Market Size According to the International Air Transport Association, India is expected to overtake China and the United States as the world's third-largest air passenger market by 2030. (IATA). In FY21, the country's passenger* traffic reached 115.37 million. COVID-19related restrictions on flights in FY21 caused domestic and international passenger traffic to decline at a CAGR of -9.02 percent and -28.64 percent, respectively, from FY16 to FY21. In FY21, airports in India pegged the domestic passenger traffic to be around 105.2 million, a 61.7 per cent YoY decline, and international passenger traffic to be around 10.1 million, an 84.8 per cent YoY decline, over the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. The average number of domestic passenger flights per day was over 2,300

The impact of a rate hike in the United States on the RBI's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on April 6–8, 2022 will be significant. Among the alternatives, the RBI is unlikely to shift its policy stance due to its steadfast commitment to supporting growth for as long as it is required to pull the economy out of the Covid crisis.

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The stock markets in the United States reacted positively to the rate hike almost immediately. One of the explanations was a sharp increase in stock prices due to an existing oversold position and subsequent short covering, which pushed the indices higher. With adjustments to the intricacies of the current move, market sentiments are rectified.

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in October 2021, with a daily air traffic volume of over 283,000 passengers. A CAGR of -1.77 percent saw freight traffic fall from 2.70 million tonnes (MT) to 2.47 million tonnes (MT) between FY16 and FY21. Freight traffic on airports in India has the potential to reach 17 MT by FY40. From 1.60 million aircraft in FY16 to 1.20 million in FY21, air traffic decreased at a CAGR of -7.79 percent. Between FY16 and FY21, domestic aircraft movements fell by -6.44 percent, while international aircraft movements fell by -18.52 percent. In FY21, India's aircraft movements were 1,062,000 domestically and 1352,000 internationally. By 2021, Indian tourists are expected to spend INR 9.5 lakh crore (USD 136 billion) on their travels. There has been an increase in the number of airports in India as a result of increased air traffic. India will have 153 airports open and operating by 2020. By the year FY40, India plans to have 190-200 operational airports. In addition, the growing number of planes operating in the industry has been pushed by rising demand. By 2027, there will be 1,100 planes in service.

FDI, on the other hand, would necessitate government authorization. IndiGo has agreed to investigate the possibility of using sustainable fuel in planes in July 2021. Raghu Vamsi intends to build a USD 15 million facility in Hyderabad to meet Boeing's needs by August 2021, according to his business plan. SpiceJet plans to add 16 new routes by the end of August 2021. In 2021, Rare Enterprises plans to launch an ultra-low-cost airline in partnership with former IndiGo and Jet Airways CEOs to capitalise on domestic air travel demand. A total of INR 35,000 crore (USD 4.99 billion) is expected to be invested in India's aviation industry over the next four years. For the development of airport infrastructure and aviation navigation services, the Indian government plans to invest USD 1.83 billion by 2026.

The civil aviation industry could benefit from a cooperative federalism framework States have paid little attention to civil aviation until recently, despite the fact that it is an important part of the national infrastructure.

There was a USD 3.06 billion FDI inflow into India's air transport sector (including freight) between April 2000 and June 2021, according to data released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

Few Indian states have active civil aviation departments, as can be seen. This is also due to the reason that States have had a passive role, invariably, having had to look up to the Central government for the development of airports and enhancing air connectivity.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in scheduled air transportation, regional air transportation, and domestic scheduled passenger airlines is permitted under the automatic route. Over 49 per cent of

However, the situation has dramatically changed in the last four years.. The expansion of civil aviation is attributed in large part to international cooperation. The Regional Connectivity Scheme,

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UdeDeshkaAamNaagrik (UDAN), has become a game changer as this flagship programme has a built-in mechanism to develop stakes of State governments in the growth of the sector.

Recommendations for policy changes The central government has already signed agreements with 30 states and territories. In order to make flying more accessible and affordable, the policies of the States and the federal government are being integrated. With a strong cooperative federalism framework in place, governments are positioned to support the sector's growth and development. Here are a few ideas for boosting the aviation industry. The cost of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) accounts for about 40 per cent of the total operational cost for any Indian airline. State governments may see it as a policy imperative to exempt petroleum products from the Goods and Services Tax (GST), but doing so has a negative impact on the growth of air service to the states. ATF VAT rates in some states are as high as 25 percent, which has slowed the expansion of civil aviation as a whole. The amount of ATF in total petroleum products is so small that it merits its own category. The airline industry relies on razor-thin profit margins and requires a lot of upfront investment. Because of this, airlines have a strong incentive to expand their operations as a result of the ATF relief. States would suffer a fictitious revenue loss that would be more than offset by increased economic activity in the region as a result of better air connectivity. The output multiplier and employment multiplier for civil aviation, according to an ICAO study, are 3.25 and 6.10, respectively. There is empirical evidence of this in many Indian airports where connectivity has had a positive impact on the economy.

Until the GST Council makes a decision on ATF, UDAN has urged State governments to reduce the VAT on ATF to 1 per cent for flights operated under this programme.. For the first time, airlines have been able to connect previously unconnected regions like Jharsuguda and Kolhapur. As the most potent tool at their disposal, states can help shape sector policy by lowering the VAT on ATF.

Development of airports The second area of expertise is in airport development and management. Numerous regional airports can be developed independently or in partnership with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) (AAI). There have been a variety of public-private partnership models developed in this area that can be used to create infrastructure. Land requires a significant investment and is a limited resource. Innovative strategies for developing viable 'no-frills airports' can be explored. These functional airports have the potential to transform entire regions and the way people travel. Until recently, India had approximately 70 airports. Under UDAN, the Union government has operationalized 24 unserved airports over the last two years with the assistance of the States; 100 additional airports are to be developed over the next five years, which can only be accomplished through active collaboration between willing States and the Centre.

Connecting the Neighborhood Third, States and the federal government can play an important role in assisting airlines in developing air services in remote areas by providing financial aid. Various financial and non-financial incentives have been sought from State governments in order to reduce the operational costs of airlines and airport operators. This plan also includes concessions on ATF excise duty and budgetary allocations for airport development declared by the

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Union government. Due to this innovative programme, airlines are now more likely to fly regional, non-interconnected routes rather than interconnected ones. Remote areas' appetites and aspirations can match airline plans if the government acts as a catalyst. Innovative approaches and policies in support of airlines have been inspired by UDAN's success stories. However, to attract airlines from regional to remote connectivity, further interventions are necessary. Small aircraft operators should be encouraged because of the infrastructural constraints and difficult terrain. Many times, policymakers show reluctance because the models for connecting remote areas by using smaller aircraft and helicopters are not financially viable. However, access to these remote areas by air is a necessity. Air must be used to connect areas that can't be reached by road or rail. They will be cost-effective if the economic analysis is taken into consideration. In the rainy season, for example, it takes 16 hours to travel from Dehradun to Pithoragarh (both in Uttarakhand). Traveling by plane would not only save time, but it would also come in handy in case of an emergency. Northeast India, the islands, and the hilly states are all examples of this. Because of the way governance is often implemented in silos, it's easy to overlook the importance of convergence. States can combine their tourism, health, and insurance plans to help support air travel, which would go a long way toward achieving regional connectivity goals. At the moment, only 7 per cent of Indians use commercial air travel. In terms of

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both domestic and international passenger traffic, the United States has the potential to rank among the world's top three countries. So that the growing Indian middle class can fly at least once a year, states must create an environment that encourages business. To put it another way, it would increase domestic ticket sales from the current eight million. New and improved airports, incentives for the airlines, and governmentto-government resources pooled together can help ensure that India's civil aviation sector grows in a more equitable and inclusive manner. Ministers of Civil Aviation in India have appointed Usha Padhee as a Joint Secretary. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author.

Maharaja is all set to rule the aviation bizz again with TATA The Tata Group on 27 January 2022 regained control of Air India, 69 years after the Mumbai-based conglomerate relinquished its stake in the airline to the Central government. N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, called Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the final handing-over formalities at Airlines House in New Delhi. A press release from Tata Sons stated, "We philosophically agree with the Prime Minister's vision for the aviation sector, of making it affordable and making sure it contributes to 'Ease of Living' for citizens." Air India was mentioned in a tweet by the Tata Group, who wrote: "Your arrival was much anticipated." 'Welcome back, Air

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India!' it wrote alongside a photo. After the handover, Chandrasekaran wrote an internal letter to Air India employees in which he stated: "My first flight with Air India was in December 1986, and I will never forget how special it felt to be onboard, or the exhilaration as we soared into the sky... today is the beginning of a new chapter." The nation is watching to see what we can accomplish as a team. Our country needs a new airline, and we need to look to the future in order to get there." Finally reaching an agreement on Air India represents a major milestone for India's massive privatisation drive.

The aviation industry has a lot to look forward to in the year 2022 Covid-19 had a significant impact on Indian aviation, and the arrival of Omicron has only made matters worse. State governments and the federal government, on the other hand, have already taken action to tackle the disease. MoCA, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), reported that before Omicron, airlines had reached 90 per cent of their pre-pandemic peak traffic in November 2021, which was before Omicron. According to a report by the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) India, domestic aviation traffic is predicted to increase by 52 per cent and international air traffic by 60 per cent in 2022. The successful implementation of government initiatives, new private investment, and the opening of regional airports, in my opinion, will decide the pace of recovery. This year, we'll see Tata Sons eventually take over Air India; Jet Airways will return to service, and Akasa Air is expected to begin flying. Air India's privatisation will

allow the system to benefit from new technology, resources, and business techniques unique to the private sector. Customers will benefit from a reduction in market monopoly as a result of the addition of new airlines For the past few years, UdeDesh ka Aam Nagrik has been a primary growth driver for the aviation industry (UDAN). It improved regional air connectivity from underserved and unserved airports by lowering the cost of air travel for the general public and enabling airports to maximise their revenuegenerating potential. Passenger demand from Tier-II cities is expected to rise in 2019 and 2020. At this point in time, MOCA intends to implement UDAN's goal of implementing as many as 100 underserved and unserved airports by 2025. There are currently 61 airports in operation out of the total. Now that the Indian aviation industry is finally showing signs of revival, the industry cannot afford further casualties like the high cost of aviation turbine fuel. According to India's aviation minister, the country will be unable to support a thriving civil aviation sector with the existing fuel tax structure in place. Consequently, he called on States and Union Territories to lower their taxes, which he said would boost the business. India's aviation industry now has a chance to reimagine its future because to Covid-19.

Now that passenger traffic is approaching pre-pandemic levels, it appears that 2022 will be a pivotal year for the industry. Omicron may have a small impact on growth, but 2022 will be critical in determining Indian aviation's long-term prospects.

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SPECIAL STORY

IMPACT OF RISING US INTEREST RATES ON THE INDIAN ECONOMY The stock markets in the United States reacted positively to the rate hike almost immediately. One of the explanations was a sharp increase in stock prices due to an existing oversold position and subsequent short covering, which pushed the indices higher. With adjustments to the intricacies of the current move, market sentiments are rectified.

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n a globally interconnected world, one country's policy decision has an impact on the other, necessitating adequate actions to mitigate risk. The US Federal Reserve hiked interest rates by 25 basis points from near zero on March 16, 2022, as expected. It's the first-rate increase since 2018. It also stated that to control its out-of-control inflation, it will have to implement a series of dramatic rate hikes. It is hovering at 7.9 per cent, a level not seen in the United States in the last forty years, as of February 2022. The Central Banks' future views, which coincide with the rate rise, have a greater influence on clearing the policy fog than the policy action itself, which raises market sentiments. To counteract inflationary headwinds, policy actions must be taken to address the liquidity problem. There are many signs that US policy rates may shortly be increased to 1.75 to 2.00 per cent. It will have worldwide consequences, particularly in Asia's growing markets. It could result in an exodus of offshore capital held

by foreign institutional investors (FIIs), triggering currency volatility. The stock markets in the United States reacted positively to the rate hike almost immediately. One of the explanations was a sharp increase in stock prices due to an existing oversold position and subsequent short covering, which pushed the indices higher. With adjustments to the intricacies of the current move, market sentiments are rectified.

1. Rate Hike in the United States Just the Beginning: The US Federal Reserve's move was expected, and the market did not react negatively. The latest rate boost, however, is only the tip of the iceberg. More information will be available soon. Because of Covid19's easy money policy, one of the differentiators in the inflation spiral has been tapering, which will have to be followed on the route to normalisation. Lowering interest rates, infusing liquidity through conventional and non-conventional

SPECIAL STORY

measures, the Central Bank's bond purchase programme, and an increase in government borrowings to meet increased healthcare spending due to Covid19, as well as other related factors, all contributed to an increase in inflation. The rise in commodity prices, the war in Ukraine, the slew of sanctions imposed on Russia, and the heightened risks posed by geopolitical developments all conspire to keep inflation at bay. Commodity inertia and ongoing global supply chain disruptions exacerbate the problems. As a result of such brewing difficulties, inflation has become a stumbling obstacle for the economy's revival, seeping into input costs and creating a stumbling block for the economy's revival. The fundamental nature of inflation necessitates immediate governmental intervention and cannot be dismissed as a fad. As a result, despite the persisting negative external sector and persistent Covid19 concerns, the US has no choice but to boost rates. The geopolitical dangers aren't going away anytime soon, and global commodity prices will remain high. US employment has yet to pick up, and normalisation appears to be a long way off. As a result, the move in the equation between growth and price stability is to stabilise prices, which accelerates consumer prices. By the second part of the year, US inflation is predicted to begin to moderate, and by 2024, it could reach its objective of 2 per cent. Even if interest rates rise and monetary policy becomes less accommodating, the strong US economy should be able to expand.

2. Economic impact on India: The Indian economy is on the mend. The recovery is spreading due to increased consumer and business confidence, the industrial and services sectors, and the farm sector, which is doing well with food grain production at a high of 316.1 million tonnes. The domestic economy's looming challenge is slashing inflationary headwinds in line with global trends. The CPI inflation rate in February was 6.07 per cent, just beyond the RBI's comfort zone. At 13.11 per cent, the WPI remains stubbornly high. CPI inflation has been hanging on the higher boundary of the target for some time, and it needs to be addressed. It should be noted that the entire budget formula was created with the assumption that the average crude price would be USD 75 per barrel, even though it recently hit a high of USD 139 a dollar and is presently sitting around USD 100. Considerably before the pandemic, GDP growth had slowed, and it contracted even further in FY2020-21, crawling back to pre-covid levels.

Stock markets have experienced modest corrections, but they have been severely harmed by the conflict in Ukraine and worldwide shocks as a result of soaring crude oil and other commodity prices. Foreign outflows from local stock markets totalled close to Rs.1.1 trillion as a result of predicted interest rate hikes in the Western world and geopolitical uncertainties. Even as foreign sector upside risks linger, domestic uncertainty is subsiding, thanks to the completion of elections in the five states, which has brought some stability. In the current macroeconomic environment, it will be difficult to achieve the RBI's forecasted GDP of 9.5 per cent in 2021-22, nor the government's forecast of 9.2 per cent, but it is possible to achieve close to the 8.9 per cent assessed by rating agency ICRA. Moody's has decreased its forecast for the Indian GDP in the calendar year (CY) 2022 to 9.1 per cent from 5.4 per cent in CY2023.

3. The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) next policy outlook is as follows: The impact of a rate hike in the United States on the RBI's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on April 6–8, 2022 will be significant. Among the alternatives, the RBI is unlikely to shift its policy stance due to its steadfast commitment to supporting growth for as long as it is required to pull the economy out of the Covid crisis. However, by raising the reverse repo rate, it will be able to reduce the corridor from 65 basis points to 40 basis points. It may aim for a repo rate hike of 25 basis points to join the Western world in a more direct step. The RBI policy move is intended to be in line with the domestic economy, which is now doing well, but it cannot be too far behind the rest of the globe in terms of inflation tolerance. Taking a larger picture of the external sector, the growth-inflation equation must be adjusted. While global growth is at risk due to tariff wars, the Covid-19 crisis, and the RussiaUkraine conflict, according to Dr Viral Acharya, former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, India may have to forgo growth in the near term to address looming concerns. Despite the economy's strong recovery, the RBI's monthly status of the economy report emphasised the significance of normalisation. The war and rising global oil prices have also had a severe influence on India's economy, according to the IMF. In light of the impact of the US action and the current status of the macroeconomy, the RBI's next policy move cannot be considered a nonevent. To combat inflation, rate hikes are undoubtedly on the horizon.

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SPECIAL STORY

As of 2019, the size of the fertilizer market in India was INR 6.258 trillion. Fertilizers have played a key role in the success of India's Green Revolution and the self-sufficiency of food and grain production. However, as demand increases, players in this sector are starting to change production mechanisms and choose innovative and technological solutions to increase production.

FERTILIZER INDUSTRY TAKES A TECHNOLOGICAL SPIN

ertilizer is the second most experienced element in agriculture, and for many years, this sector was rapidly developed to meet the problem associated with culture. In India, according to the fertilizer sector in the meaning of the meaning of the semi-sword, the CSE (CSE) principal center, which remains a smart and meaningful solution for India farmers, as well as the fertilizer sector (CSE), One of the world's best world in the side. This report also says that the sector evaluates negative labeling for water, water pollution, and plant safety. However, since the global fertilizer industry is India, he chooses innovative and creative ideas related to technology to tighten the free end. The inclusion of facilities and products such as smart fertilizers, smart nutrients, providing online shopping opportunities, and using digital platforms to promote products have provided innovative connections with Indian farmers. Observer Dawn reports on innovative and creative solutions for India's fertilizer sector, which is rolling the dice for Indian agriculture. Fertilizer is a key

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factor in increasing yields and balanced use of fertilizers plays an important role in maintaining soil fertility. India's fertilizer sector is growing many times and is currently focusing on increasing local production so that imports can be marginalized. As of 2019, the size of the fertilizer market in India was INR 6.258 trillion. Fertilizers have played a key role in the success of India's Green Revolution and the selfsufficiency of food and grain production. However, as demand increases, players in this sector are starting to change production mechanisms and choose innovative and technological solutions to increase production.

Nutrients and fertilizers become smart Until now, people were familiar with smartphones, smart TVs, smart watches, smart air conditioners, etc., but in today's world, nutrients and fertilizers have also become smart. Generally, the use of balanced farmers is considered the best solution for profitability, but the use of unbalanced Fetrons damages.

SPECIAL STORY

4-1 ½ current administration and yield by 10 per cent. Therefore, the smart nutrient helps the soil to maintain nutritional value in response by emitting the components according to the requirements of the plant. These smart fertilizers and nutrients are used to improve performance, but also gain investment dramatically. Chandrika Varadachari says smart fertilizer and nutrients, and governments can reduce the import phosphate income of phosphate and smart phosphate, and provide Winwin condition to all farmers, government, and environment. Smart release fertilizer technology can lead to far-reaching changes. Most fertilizers and seed companies are held promotional activities in June and July every year to attract farmer to buy the product. Through this, the company provides a lot of free bees to the grower to take this big discount, to convince the farmers to buy their products. To do this, the company creates a large pool of officials who will move from town to town and hold meetings and demonstrations in town. However, the ongoing pandemic crisis has forced businesses to redesign their advertising models, where digitization is a good fit.

Many of the farmers of India tend to use fertility of harvesting using phosphate, potassium and trace elements, which are water-soluble, potassium, potassium and trace elements, but potassium and trace elements are water-soluble, but fertilizer is based on phosphate mixtures There is an adverse environmental impact, and birds can bloom. Smart fertilizer and nutrients are pressed to solve the previously mentioned issues. Smart fertilizers greatly reduce dose and improve yield in the environment. Molecules used in these intelligent fertilizers act as nutritional stocks that preserve the nutrients of plants during the growth period. AGTEC Innovation is one of those companies that provide "smart fertilizer and nutrients" Indian farmers. Chandrika Varadachari, CTO, Agtec Innovation uses smart fertilizer to provide crops to consume nutrients as needed as needed. This is especially useful for increasing yield because plants require different nutrients in several stages of life cycle. Removing nutrient losses can increase the amount of phosphate dose from 1 to

Using digital connect to promote products In order to allure farmers to buy their products, most of the fertilizer and seed companies every year in the month of June and July, hold one-on-one meetings with farmers. This task is done in order to convince farmers to buy their products and for that, companies roll in heavy discounts and give lot of free bees to the cultivators. To complete this assignment, companies create a big pool of officials who would travel village to village and conduct meetings and village demonstrations. However, due to the ongoing Pandemic crisis, companies had to rework on their promotional model and this is where digitization fits in. Now such meetings are being conducted through digital platform. These virtual meetings are in the batches of 50-100 farmers and by targeting these small batches; companies identify their potential leads and then pitch for sale. Envisaging this requirement well in in advanced, the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) rolled out a digital platform called iffcobazar.in in 2018 . This platform enables the corporations to get connected to a wide network of farmers which is estimated to around 2.54 crore (as claimed by the company). In order to attract farmers for such virtual meetings, companies give various offers to the cultivators. Owing to the current situation, most of the companies are now planning to

Smart release fertilizer technology can lead to far-reaching changes. Most fertilizers and seed companies are held promotional activities in June and July every year to attract farmer to buy the product. Through this, the company provides a lot of free bees to the grower to take this big discount, to convince the farmers to buy their products.

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he Awardz is an independent award program it is an initiative by Observer Dawn magazine. The Awardz aims to recognize and reward excellence across private, public and charity sectors. Open to organizations of any size and individuals, based anywhere in the world, entries are encouraged from those who feel they are working smarter to create a business edge.

International Business Awards (IBA), The Indian Realty Awards (IRA), and Pride Awards (PA) bring together the most successful and influential visionaries, manufacturers, consumer and business experts and the industry’s powerful decision-makers on one mega platform as a means to Indian Business enlightenment.

Visit www.theawardz.com

SPECIAL STORY

TAKING CARE OF YOUR

MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK Depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy USD 1 trillion in lost productivity each year, according to WHO-led research. When compared to the large quantity of data showing that numerous occupational pressures may contribute to poor mental health and physical ailments like hypertension, diabetes.

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raditionally, discussions on mental health have been muffled and pushed to the back burner, with just a few people speaking up around the time of World Mental Health Day. The pandemic, on the other hand, caused a dramatic upheaval in this status quo, and among all the chaos, the silver lining was that mental health was finally brought to the forefront. Organizations all across the globe are becoming more aware of employee mental health concerns and the efforts that need to be done to foster improved working environments. Depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy USD 1 trillion in lost productivity each year, according to WHO-led research. When compared to the large quantity of data showing that numerous occupational pressures may contribute to poor mental health and physical ailments like hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular difficulties, this statistic makes perfect sense. As a result, it's no wonder that phrases like "staff burnout" have become commonplace in the business world. Employee absenteeism, greater sick days, poor attention at work, protracted sabbatical breaks, and other factors all contribute to

lower productivity. How can companies build better work environments in the face of all this data?

Steps to Creating a Workplace that is Mental Health-Friendly For far too long, HR departments have been preoccupied with increasing productivity, reducing costs, and harnessing big data and analytics to enhance HR models. Human Resources Officers have realised the need to re-emphasize the term 'human' in human resources as the globe navigates a postpandemic period. And this is a positive move since work is an important aspect of life for millions of people throughout the world; it is where people spend a lot of their time, where they earn money, and where they form social networks and connections. As a result, it is only right that this long-overdue focus on mental health is at the forefront. Reducing Stigma: One of the key reasons why mental health discussions were typically done in hushed tones was because of stigma. Stigma refers to a sense of shame, prejudice, and discrimination directed at those who are coping with mental health issues. As a result, reducing stigma around the subject is one of the first actions businesses should take toward fostering better work environments. This may be accomplished through employee mental health awareness training sessions and management and leader sensitization

SPECIAL STORY Shift in culture: While many firms have implemented efforts such as mental health check-in week and free counselling, more has to be done to address the problem's core cause. Employees will continue to have a precarious work-life balance unless key stresses like long working hours, According to Ginger, an on-demand mental unreasonable performance standards, health tech company located in the United inadequate remuneration, and so on are States, 94 per cent of CEOs claim to have addressed. A profound structural shift in sought mental health help during the the way organisations work is required epidemic. If corporate leaders could draw for things to truly improve. For on their own experiences to a true paradigm shift, both empathise with individuals top-down and bottom-up suffering similar difficulties, changes in work cultures are it might motivate more A profound employees to speak out structural shift required. Instead of paying lip service to mental health, about their mental health in the way top management, not simply issues. organisations HR, should make it a priority work is to create accountability Customised approach: measures. Hybrid work When it comes to dealing required for with mental health, there things to truly models, flexible work hours, assisting those with mental is no such thing as a oneimprove. health issues in reintegrating size-fits-all solution. When after long periods away it comes to mental health from work, and establishing assistance, each employee confidential communication channels with will have distinct requirements depending management are all steps that can help on their age, marital situation, and a variety to create long-term structural changes of other circumstances. that make mental health a non-negotiable priority in the workplace. The essential A Gen Z worker, for example, may pillars that contribute to an individual's encounter difficulties associated with holistic well-being are mental health and moving to a new place and a lack of well-being. The epidemic has provided a acquaintances or a support structure, chance for businesses to come up with new whereas a single working mother may methods to operate. As a result, businesses face childcare concerns. As a result, HR everywhere must usher in a new age teams must be aware of these disparities of mental health in the workplace, one and try to become more sensitive to the marked by empathy, trust, cooperation, requirements of various employees and the kindness, and support. types of support they require. programmes to recognise symptoms of distress among their teams and employees. Another odd but effective strategy is to urge CEOs and executives to talk about their mental health difficulties.

Our responsibility as leaders is to bring this diverse group together to accomplish a common goal. Managing a diverse group of personalities, on the other hand, is much easier said than done. Leaders must combine the emotional needs of employees with the demands of great performance in order to manage teams.

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TOURISM

TOURISM IN INDIA

WHAT’S THE FUTURE? Infrastructure development for domestic transport in India – India had over 1.5 billion domestic travel movements before the outbreak. Domestic travellers are generating the first wave of income boosts in the post-pandemic environment.

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s governments remove travel restrictions, international travel is becoming more accessible, and Indians are beginning to travel overseas in increasing numbers. This time, international travel is projected to expand much faster than it did before the epidemic. According to projections, the Indian travel sector would reach USD 125 billion by FY 27. The Indian airline travel sector will be experiencing more treble by 2027, because of fast airport infrastructure development and the reopening of global tourism. Thi s e xp a n s i o n w i l l b e i n cre d i b l y encouraging for travel agencies and small businesses, as they account for more than half of the industry in terms of reservations. The Indian travel agency industry is dominated by small and medium-sized businesses. There are about 3 lakh travel agency enterprises that cater to tourists as of the present. These may be found in a variety of service areas, including travel

packages, cab and bus booking services. By 2027, this segment is expected to be worth USD 65 billion. All of these figures point to the fact that Indian travel agencies and small businesses would rebound strongly in the next years. Having said that, it is critical to examine industry trends to comprehend the factors that will usher in the future growth. Technology and innovation in the travel agency industry – People in the new normal want customised attention as well as technological ease. There is a significant opportunity to provide best-priced inventory, websites, digital payments, and other tools to agents and small travel enterprises. These amenities, together with small agencies' ability to provide outstanding and seamless experiences to their consumers, will be a formidable combination for the travel agency market's sustained supremacy in the years ahead. Infrastructure development for domestic

TOURISM

transport in India – India had over 1.5 billion domestic travel movements before the outbreak. Domestic travellers are generating the first wave of income boosts in the post-pandemic environment. People are searching for improved services and experiences as they travel around the country to popular and quirky sites. There has to be a greater emphasis on infrastructure investment and the extension of programmes like 'Swadesh Darshan.' To capitalise on the domestic potential, state governments, Indian Railways, and the national government must all invest more people and financial resources.

travel demand. These travellers will have additional destinations to select from as a result of the increased airline possibilities. The government should consider offering financial and infrastructure support to airlines that link India to important tourism destinations.

New travel items - The surge in demand for undiscovered places, customised vacations, road trips, weekend getaways, and reunion trips will be one of the most important growth factors in 2022 and beyond. Families, friends, and coworkers have spent a lot of time apart, and with the resurgence of global tourism, they will look for special offers The government's financial that allow them to have assistance - The pandemic new experiences. The next wreaked havoc on the travel People are pandemic waves are still a industry's SMEs, startups, more willing source of great uncertainty. and small agency firms. A to pay an People, especially frequent considerable number of extra 10 travellers, are more likely to these businesses are at risk per cent to spend money on short-term of going out of business travel. This will become due to a lack of operating 20 per cent the new standard. Rather capital. This is where for quality than reserving months or the Indian government's experiences even a year in advance, the decision to provide financing tendency would be to book support to travel MSMEs closer to the day of departure, and Department of Tourismincreasing in demand for fast vacations. approved travel agencies, as well as travel startups, would breathe fresh life into the At the same time, the ticket size would industry. This loan will not only allow them grow as a result of the increased attention to resume operations with confidence, on sanitation, safety, and wellbeing. People but it will also be necessary for them are more willing to pay an extra 10 per to complete the necessary digitisation. cent to 20 per cent for quality experiences. Increased frequency of flights and improved In light of all of these facts, there is aviation infrastructure – With normal international flight operations set to resume little question that the Indian travel soon, it is time for airlines and governments agencies and MSMEs have a bright future. to improve air connectivity. The 25 It's time to emerge from the shadows of million or so Indian tourists who travel to the plague and embrace the beautiful sky foreign destinations have a huge unmet and sunshine!

Increased frequency of flights and improved aviation infrastructure – With normal international flight operations set to resume soon, it is time for airlines and governments to improve air connectivity. The 25 million or so Indian tourists who travel to foreign destinations have a huge unmet travel demand.

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BIZ TIPS

HOW TO BUILD RESILIENCE AS A

LEADER

Prioritizing quality above quantity is also a part of dedicated refuelling. We can take the day off to go to the spa, but is it truly revitalising if some of that time is spent checking emails in the Jacuzzi or taking phone conversations during a massage? Regardless of how much or how little time off you have, make sure it is completely free of extraneous distractions.

The act of motivating people to realise a clear and compelling goal may appear simple at first glance: you put a stake in the ground and persuade others to follow you. Even a cursory check at the front page of the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal, however, demonstrates the contrary. Leadership is difficult, and it has the potential to go horribly wrong. According to the executive outplacement company Challenger, Gray & Christmas, executive burnout is on the increase, and pressures worsened by the pandemic have contributed to the number of departing CEOs rising by 16 per cent year-overyear in the fourth quarter of 2021, and it's easy to see why. Leadership is an activity that may entirely devour one's physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual energies and many people will burn out if they don't account for this. There are, however, techniques to strengthen resilience in order to assist in the fight against such hazards. 1. Personal resource management Knowing your own energy levels and how to best harness them is essential for effective leadership. We can drive the most luxurious automobile in the world, but it will never leave the driveway without petrol (or a sufficient charge). In addition, if we fill up the tank but go too far, too rapidly, and too soon, we may find ourselves stranded in the middle of nowhere. To avoid running out of energy, it's critical to know when to replenish yours and how quickly to drive. There's also the issue of refuelling, which might look different for everyone - some people do it by reading at home or caring to a garden, while others get their energy from mingling and travelling. Prioritizing quality above quantity is also a part of dedicated refuelling. We can take

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the day off to go to the spa, but is it truly revitalising if some of that time is spent checking emails in the Jacuzzi or taking phone conversations during a massage? Regardless of how much or how little time off you have, make sure it is completely free of extraneous distractions. Don't wait until you're stranded on the side of the road to call for help. Early on, discover your own source of energy and practise the discipline required for continuous recharging.

2. Stress management It is intrinsically stressful to be in a position of leadership. A quarter will never arrive without its share of curveballs, whether professional or personal and if we can't manage the accompanying stress, we won't be able to perform at our best - we'll be replenishing a tank with a hole in it.

BIZ TIPS

It's critical to incorporate regular self-care techniques into your stress management strategy. For example, in the midst of each workday, you may try to take a stroll outside to reset your nervous system. Calming methods such as yoga, mindfulness, or journaling might also be included; what works best for each individual will be different.

of backgrounds, each with its own set of pressures. Our responsibility as leaders is to bring this diverse group together to accomplish a common goal. Managing a diverse group of personalities, on the other hand, is much easier said than done. Leaders must combine the emotional needs of employees with the demands of great performance in order to manage teams.

It's also critical to tackle lengthy vacations How do we go about doing that? To with strategy and discipline. "Is this vacation begin, establish clear expectations – spell going to give me energy or take it away?" out exactly what we want from them, is a vital issue to consider. Travelling with and then ask whether they understand family and/or children, for example, maybe everything. After all, if we're going to hold people accountable for their stressful, despite the fact that performance, they need to it is vital and fulfilling for our know what we're measuring relationships. So be cautious People arrive them against. when organising excursions to work like these, or you risk returning to work fatigued Finally, it's an old adage from a wide from logistics preparation, that bold leaders lead by range of child-care requirements, example: we need to mirror backgrounds, and family feuds. Also, when in our actions what we each with its it comes to checking in with demand from our staff in own set of work, set some limitations terms of professionalism and pressures. (only 7 per cent of senior behaviour. Employees may leadership unplug entirely not be able to manage stress while on vacation, according and stay focused if they do to a report by Oracle and not demonstrate these qualities. Workplace Intelligence). Also, be aware of It's a two-way street: as we strengthen our the sort of vacation you might require at any own resilience, we strengthen our team's particular moment, and then make sure you resilience as well. With all of the unforeseen take it. Vacations and time off aren't only twists and turns that undoubtedly occur nice to have at the end of the year; they're along the path to fulfilling an organization's necessary for stress management since no goal, it's critical for a leader to remain one is immune to it and no one is without focused and committed despite daily a personal life. The basic reality is that we setbacks. Some will be foreseeable, while cannot care for a healthy organisation until others will appear out of nowhere, all of we first take care of ourselves. So, before which will cause worry. Leadership can be you start handing out oxygen masks to draining, and if we're not careful, burnout others, put on your own: You can't lead if or derailment might derail us completely. A you can't breathe. systematic approach to maintaining energy levels, controlling stress, and managing people, on the other hand, can help you 3. Managing those in your develop the resilience you'll need to immediate vicinity People arrive to work from a wide range guarantee your tank never runs dry.

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BIZ TIPS

A 15-POINT PLAN FOR BEING AWESOME AT

MANAGING PEOPLE

Because there are no super-secret tactics involved, becoming a great leader appears to be a simple task. However, while excellent leadership is primarily comprised of basic things, many leaders fail to put them into practice for various reasons.

he following leadership suggestions are, of course, simply the tip of the iceberg. Theory alone will not suffice here; actual practice, like everything else in life, is required.

Whether they're your employees, friends, or man-hours, your team always understands who they are for you. When you have a problem, a man-hour will never assist you.

1. Be compassionate Never lose sight of the fact that you're dealing with actual individuals who have their problems and tales to tell. Many executives regard their employees as nothing more than man-hours to be controlled and optimised.

2. Learn to manage Directing people is not something that comes to many of us naturally, and I haven't found any "leadership courses" that are truly worthwhile. Fortunately, we have a much better thing at our disposal: books.

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As a leader, you will be responsible for defending your company's interests. And you'll perform much better if you grasp negotiation theory and the psychology of the person you're speaking with. As a result, a leader must-read literature. Leaders should read about psychology, the structure of thought, employing people, negotiating, marketing, project management, and economics in addition to management.

BIZ TIPS

they could communicate with people in their language. You may not be familiar with all of the nuances of the programming language, particularly if you work with a big team that utilises many languages, but you should be able to understand their code and recognise the major frameworks. You won't be able to correctly estimate the timeliness, risks, or costs until you know what you're managing.

4. Admit mistakes Trying to avoid the bullet will not fool anyone. Even worse, you'll lose your authority inside the team right away. Even if it isn't immediately apparent. The effect of having your flaws publicly acknowledged is genuinely wonderful. The team will develop a clear knowledge that making errors is not terrifying and that they are completely natural. When people realise that making errors isn't a source of scorn, they become bolder in their job, accept more responsibility, and take more chances - all of which provides you and your organisation a competitive edge in the long term. If individuals are continually afraid of making a mistake, they will be very conservative in their approach, cease attempting to innovate, and will be very conservative in their approach.

5. Allow the individual to remedy their error There's no reason to flaunt your "brilliance" at the expense of smearing one of your coworkers. It is preferable to write to that individual immediately and inform them of their error. Discuss the solution and allow them to make the necessary changes on their own. Allow people to rehabilitate themselves rather than publicly putting them in an unpleasant situation. In the long term, this will greatly improve their job.

3. Be aware of what you're in charge of Expertise is the only way to gain authority. Leaders at all levels must have a thorough understanding of the things they are in charge of. To lead a development team, for example, you must have a good understanding of the tools, APIs, arrays, functions, and algorithmic complexity. Ideally, you should have worked as a developer in the past. It's no surprise that Sergey Brin and Mark Zuckerberg were great entrepreneurs because

Expertise is the only way to gain authority. Leaders at all levels must have a thorough understanding of the things they are in charge of. To lead a development team, for example, you must have a good understanding of the tools, APIs, arrays, functions, and algorithmic complexity. Ideally, you should have worked as a developer in the past.

6. Keep your folks safe You must be the shield that absorbs all of the blows. No one in the world should be able to sway your team without your permission. Allow someone to criticise your staff, and you will figure out what to do about it within your firm. 7. Be open and honest about your plans Always tell it how it is. Tell them the truth if the project has stopped receiving money and is set to expire. If there are plans to modify anything, let people know ahead

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BIZ TIPS

Everything that occurs is your responsibility as a leader. Once a mistake has been made, you must accept full responsibility for it, and only then can you decide what you need to do internally inside the team. It doesn't matter who was genuinely accountable to those on the outside, but those on the inside need to feel safe and cared for.

of time and don't put them off until it's too late. If the corporation intends to cut workers, don't keep quiet about it. It is preferable to state after the fact that the plans did not come to fruition than to put people in danger before the event. If the corporation intends to boost everyone's pay, inform them as well. It boosts retention and fosters trust. Not to add that teams with open leadership always have a superior culture. The rest of the team should be informed of what's going on.

8. Everyone on the team should be paid fairly You can't always pay an employee the greatest compensation on the market. A corporation that pays more and a person who makes more will always exist. People, on the other hand, need to see that their wage for your company is reasonable so that they feel valued by you and your organisation. I use the following method to determine whether or not the wage is reasonable: Consider the possibility that one day all of the company's salary will be made public. Will I feel embarrassed in front of my teammates? If this is the case, their pay is insufficient and has to be increased. This is the case with excessively large pay. Is it truly a good idea if someone makes a lot more than the rest of the team thinks? What if word gets around?

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9. Assume full responsibility Everything that occurs is your responsibility as a leader. Once a mistake has been made, you must accept full responsibility for it, and only then can you decide what you need to do internally inside the team. It doesn't matter who was genuinely accountable to those on the outside, but those on the inside need to feel safe and cared for. Even if you subsequently terminate the employee who made the error, the team must believe that you did so not because of external pressure, but because of internal reasoning and after careful analysis. 10. Have faith in your staff Tr u s t y o u r s t a f f s , w h o a r e h i g h l y paid professionals that you hired for their expertise and talents. There's no need to double-check their work or oversee their actions. There's also no reason to schedule meetings that don't result in any decisions. The 1.5-hour daily status meetings are a clear symptom of a lack of confidence. It's enough to have a 10-minute Zoom call. 11. The team must be able to function without your presence It feels fantastic to make oneself irreplaceable, but it doesn't provide amazing outcomes. Everything goes apart if something happens to you. Processes should be designed in such a way that the team can function perfectly well without you. When you haven't been disturbed during your two-week vacation, you know you've succeeded. This does not imply that you are a useless individual. On the contrary, this suggests that you have

BIZ TIPS

and how to execute it. Similarly, identify someone who can fulfil your function as well: Entrust them with a portion of your responsibilities and train them. Your standin must be available at all times.

13. Be aware of your surroundings Do not take advantage of your workers' time or space. Do not make a concerted effort to form a team. People will want to socialise outside of work regardless of your "let's go today" suggestion. Vacation is a precious period in one's life. You did something wrong if someone needs to phone a person on vacation frequently.

14. Gathering feedback Ask the team what they enjoy and hate regularly, as well as what they would want to see changed. You have the option of doing it one-on-one, in a group, or anonymously. All of the aforementioned, preferably: Even though some members of your team are hesitant or cautious, they want to be heard.

succeeded in constructing procedures that have no points of failure.

12. There should be no irreplaceable members of the team This is a problem that affects everyone, not just you. Sure, someone could be better at some chores, so it's tempting to assign them to him. However, this is a risky course to choose. People are susceptible to a variety of events. My chief system administrator, for example, was once struck by a vehicle. We had instructions and access, but we didn't have somebody who could execute the job correctly. It took our brightest minds a half-year to figure out what to do

Ask the team what they enjoy and hate regularly, as well as what they would want to see changed. You have the option of doing it one-on-one, in a group, or anonymously. All of the aforementioned, preferably: Even though some members of your team are hesitant or cautious, they want to be heard.

15. Stay in touch with the employee even after he or she has left You may start your own business, or perhaps a new position will become available. It's not a justification to cease interacting just because they've left your organisation; in fact, it's often the reverse. Try to stay in touch with them; you could need some of them again in the future. Inquire about their lives regularly and see if they want to return. Someone may be dissatisfied with their new employment and feel embarrassed enough to urge you to reconsider.

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DEFENCE

ARMED FORCES TO SEE LARGER PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN-

RAJNATH SINGH

“A

rmed Forces will see a larger participation of women in the coming years due to the recent steps taken by the Government,” said Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh while delivering the keynote address at an event organised by FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) in New Delhi on March 15, 2022. “Today, women are not only working in the Army in every wing, but now we are also giving permanent commission to them. Today, admission is being given to boys as well as girls in every Sainik School. The doors of NDA have also been opened for women. About two lakh women took the entrance exam last year with great enthusiasm. The percentage of women in the Indian Army will increase significantly in the coming times,” said Shri Rajnath Singh. The event ‘Celebrating Women’, on the theme ‘Women Transforming India’ was organised as part of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ being celebrated across the country to commemorate 75 years of Independence.The Raksha Mantri lauded the FLO for organising the event which symbolises a ‘New India’ where men &

women are making equal contribution in the overall development of the Nation. He pointed out the equal respect given to women in India since the Vedic times, stressing that women play a crucial role in the upliftment of society.He said, the Government considers women as building blocks of the future and no stone is being left unturned to ensure their multi-layered development across

the country. Shri Rajnath Singh asserted that a number of schemes dedicated to skill development, employment and entrepreneurship have been rolled out by the Government, under the leadership by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He said, these schemes have paved way for the holistic development of women and given them confidence to forge a new identity.

INDIAN NAVY SUCCESSFULLY FIRES EXTENDED RANGE

BRAHMOS LAND ATTACK MISSILE

he Indian Navy successfully demonstrated the accuracy of an extended-range land attack Brahmos supersonic cruise missile from the stealth destroyer INS Chennai, on 5th March, 2022. The missile hit its intended target with pinpoint accuracy after traversing an extended range trajectory and performing complex manoeuvres. Both Brahmos missile and INS Chennai are indigenously built and highlight the cutting-edge of Indian missile and ship-building prowess. They reinforce the Indian Navy's contribution towards the Atma Nirbhar Bharat and Make in India endeavours. This achievement establishes the Indian Navy's ability to strike even deeper and influence land operations further away from sea, when and where required.

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DEFENCE

BRO SIGNS MOU WITH GRSE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF 27 DOUBLE-LANE CLASS

70 MODULAR BRIDGES IN BORDER AREAS

order Roads Organisation (BRO) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Ltd signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for fabrication, supply, erection and launching of 27 carriageway double lane galvanised modular bridges of 7.5 meters with Indian Road Congress (IRC) Load Class 70. The two-year contract, worth around Rs 60 crore, was inked by Director General BR Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry and Officiating Chairman & Managing Director

of GRSE Commodore P R Hari IN (Retd) in New Delhi on March 15, 2022. In line with the clarion call of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and meeting the aspiration of the Nation for better infrastructure, the BRO had successfully trial evaluated an “Indigenous 140 feet Double Lane Modular Bridge” of IRC Load Class 70 last year, supplied by GRSE Ltd. The first of its kind indigenous bridge was dedicated to the Nation by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath

Singh on December 28, 2021. The bridge was constructed on important “Flag HillDokala” Road in Sikkim at an altitude of 11,000 feet by Karamyogis of Project Swastik in February 2021. Subsequent to successful trials, discussions were held between the two agencies to conclude this MoU, under which the GRSE Ltd will be undertaking fabrication, supply, erection and launching of 27 Double Lane Modular Bridges of IRC Load Class 70 on a number of strategic roads along the Northern and North Eastern borders. The double-lane Modular Steel Bridge developed by the GRSE is the only oneof-its-kind bridge available in India and is 100 per cent indigenous. One of the most important and critical advantages of the MoU will be the time factor as these bridges could be launched within 45 days of handing over the site by the units. This will certainly be a game-changer in road infrastructure development in the country. The construction of such modular bridges with IRC Load Class 70 classification will also enhance the operational preparedness of the security forces in the forward areas. The MoU will further lead to self-reliance and BRO’s commitment to Nation-building. It will also ensure better infrastructure development in border areas keeping in view the Nation’s security needs.

INS CHENNAI AND INS TEG

VISIT COLOMBO

hips of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet, INS Chennai and INS Teg, made a port call at Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 10 March 22 for a two day visit. They were received by the Officer of the Guard (OOG) and Sri Lanka Navy band. Upon arrival, Rear Admiral Sameer Saxena, NM, Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF) visited the IPKF memorial to pay homage to the soldiers that sacrificed their lives for peace in the region. The memorial is also testimony to the inextricable ties between the people of India and Sri Lanka. The Fleet Commander called on Lt Gen Shavendra Silva, WWV RWP RSP VSV USP ndc psc, CDS and Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, at the Army Headquarters, Battarmula, and Vice Admiral DNS Ulugetenne RSP & Bar VSV USP ndc psc, Commander of the Navy, Sri

Lanka Navy, at the Naval Headquarters, Colombo and discussed matters of mutual concern with them. FOCWF also hosted Shri Gopal Baglay, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, for a visit onboard. Many working level interactions are scheduled between naval personnel of the two countries, followed by familiarisation

tour of Galle and Kandy for IN personnel, visits of Sri Lanka Navy personnel, school children and local visitors onboard Indian warships. In addition, an interaction between operational teams of the two navies is also scheduled to finalise the schedule of Maritime Partnership Exercise on 12 Mar 22.

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DEFENCE

EXERCISE DHARMA GUARDIAN-2022

CULMINATES AT BELGAUM (KARNATAKA)

x DHARMA GUARDIAN-2022, an annual exercise between Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self Defence Force which commenced on 27 February 2022 at Foreign Training Node, Belgaum successfully culminated on 10 March 2022 after twelve days of intense joint military training, providing an unique opportunity of achieving synergy between Armed Forces of both the Nations which is focused towards strengthening the timeless bonds of India - Japan friendship. The exercise also provided a platform for professional and cultural learning as well as social interactions which in-turn broadened their horizon towards knowledge and cooperation aiming towards co-existence as one in the Indo-Pacific Region. The

conduct of this exercise, which covered a vast spectrum from cross training & combat conditioning in field conditions, to sports and cultural exchanges has been a grand success. The two armies rubbed shoulders attending various demonstrations, at firing ranges and during various tactical exercises. Both contingents not only shared their expertise on contemporary subjects of counter terrorism operations, but also utilised this opportunity to share their

WESTERN FLEET DEPLOYMENT TO

SRI LANKA ENDS ON HIGH NOTE

he Western Fleet’s deployment to Sri Lanka culminated in a maritime partnership exercise between the two navies on 12 March 2022. On departure from the port of Colombo, IN Ships Chennai and Teg exercised with Sri Lanka Navy ship Sindurala.

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The smoothly conducted exercise began with a simulated situation of asymmetric threat against ships leaving harbour by fast attack crafts of the Sri Lankan Navy. Thereafter, as part of seamanship exercises, ships of both navies made approaches for towing, maintained station for

experiences on exploiting disruptive technologies like Drone and AntiDrone weapons. “Exercise Dharma Guardian” will enhance the level of defence cooperation between the Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces and will act as a catalyst for many such joint programs in future to further consolidate on the gains achieved.

Replenishment at Sea and undertook close distance manoeuvring. Chetak helicopter of the Indian Navy also participated in the exercise. The exercise ended with the traditional steam past with the Sri Lankan ship approaching the column of Indian Navy ships from a reciprocal direction and personnel manning their ship-sides and waving good bye to each other. The professional interaction between the navies was extremely fruitful and enhanced interoperability between them. Earlier on 11 March 2022, Rear Admiral Sameer Saxena, NM, Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF) called on Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage, the Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka. The Commanding Officers of INS Chennai and INS Teg called on Rear Admiral AUC De Silva, Commander of Western Naval Area of Sri Lanka. A friendly volleyball match was also played between personnel of the two navies to enhance mutual interaction at the junior levels. The Indian ships were kept open for general public, school children, serving naval personnel and children with special needs. All COVID-19 regulations were adhered to during the interactions held.

DEFENCE

Over the Horizon Targeting drills, maiden underway replenishment of SLN ship with INS Jyoti and deck landing practices by ALH MK III on board SLN Sayurala.

SRI LANKA -

INDIA EXERCISE, SLINEX CONCLUDED

he ninth edition of the bi-lateral Naval exercise between India and Sri Lanka, SLINEX (Sri Lanka-India Exercise) concluded on 10 Mar 22. Sri Lankan Naval Ship Sayurala, an Indian built Advanced Off-shore Patrol Vessel, Indian

Naval ships Jyoti, Kirch along with Dornier Aircraft, ALH MK Ill, Sea King and Chetak participated in the exercise. The sea phase of SLINEX was held in the Bay of Bengal included Joint Boarding and Slithering operations by Special Forces of both navies,

Exercises during Sea Phase also saw activities such as anti-Piracy drills, gun firings, seamanship evolutions, communication procedures and Search and Rescue operations. The inter-operability achieved over the years as a result of such exercises has proved to be operationally beneficial for both the navies. The present edition of the exercise has further strengthened ties between the two Maritime neighbours and helped in improving interoperability. SLINEX was conducted from 07 to 10 Mar 22 at Visakhapatnam. The harbour phase included professional interactions between two navies on various topics, sports fixtures and formal calls as well as informal interactions.

DEFEXPO 2022 HIT THE ROADBLOCK AS

MOD POSTPONED THE EVENT

reparations were in full swing as several armoured vehicles and aircraft had already started arriving in Gandhinagar ahead of the Defence Expo 2022, which was to be held from March 10-14. According to officials, helicopters, battle tanks and aircraft scheduled to be displayed at the DefEXPO 2022 had already started arriving at the Helipad Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar, which was the main venue for the event. However, Bharat Bhushan Babu, MoD spokesperson, cited “logistics problems being faced by participants” for postponing the event in a tweet Friday. Russia and Ukraine were among the 70 countries expected to participate in the expo. However, defence industry sources said there were lingering concerns about Russian and Ukrainian participation in the event after the war began last week. An industry executive mentioned that the cancellation so close to the event projects India as an “unreliable” player, and such perceptions matter. The executive mentioned that many international companies had already invested millions of dollars for bringing their equipment, setting up the stalls,

bookings, and ensuring that top executives were present for the event. “Now, all that money and effort is wasted.” The government should have worked around the situation, the executive said. The major foreign players were unhappy, and India has “lost face” by postponing the event. However, government sources said there were some concerns about hosting Russian, Ukrainian and American players at the same venue due to which they had to cancel the event. They stressed that the reason for the cancellation was a spillover of the situation in Ukraine. According to the list of exhibitors shared on the DEFEXPO mobile application, some of the Russian players expected to participate were Rosoboronexport JSC, United Engine Corporation, United

Shipbuilding Corporation, Almaz-Antey Air and Space Defence Corporation, High Precision Weapons JSC, and Technodinamika JSC. Even Ukrainian firms like Spetstechnoexport and Motor Sich JSC were expected to participate. Interestingly, this is the second big event to get postponed in the state this year. The 10th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat summit in January was similarly postponed indefinitely due to the then prevalent Covid situation. The impact of postponement of DefEXPO 2022 just five days before the event will translate into huge losses for five- and four-star hotels where over 5,000 rooms are estimated to have been booked.

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REAL ESTATE

69 PER CENT OF WOMEN PREFER INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE IN 2022

n a recent survey, 69 per cent of women preferred to invest in property as against gold, SIPs/stocks and luxury fashion. Of total women respondents looking to buy homes, 27 per cent declared investment their primary motivator, while 81 per cent were looking to buy for end use. The report also mentioned that real estate is currently an end users’ market. Given that, the number of women considering property purchase for investment is an indicator for times to come. The platform has also witnessed a consistent spike in registration in number of women buyers over the years. A majority of women who were looking to buy for investment purpose happen to be from Delhi-NCR and Bangalore while those looking to buy for end use were mostly from Mumbai and Chennai. The survey was conducted across Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, and Pune. Over 9000 women participated in the survey. 41 per cent of those looking to buy for investment purpose also mentioned that they were looking to buy a property in city outskirts. The two years of pandemic and ensuing

work from home situation had given city outskirts a great boost. Larger houses could be afforded at cheaper prices and this added to the popularity of the outskirts. 50 per cent were eyeing to purchase within city limits while 9 per cent mentioned that they were looking to purchase a property in their hometowns. 94 per cent of women stated that they were looking to invest in residential properties while 6 per cent also stated their preference for commercial properties. 73 per cent of women were looking to purchase a property within the ticket size of INR 40-75 lakhs. 20 per cent were looking to buy a property between INR 75 lakhs to 1 crore and 7 per cent were looking for properties over INR 1 crore. 1 and 2 BHKs were most popular choices. 63 per cent of women prefer ready-tomove in properties whereas 37 per cent preferred under construction. Highest percentage of women (56 per cent) of those preferring ready to move in properties were from Bangalore.

"FIREWORKS" AT KUMAR PARC RESIDENCES IN PUNE

fter establishing itself in just a matter of six months in Pune, Xanadu Realty continues to bolster its presence in the region by delivering the most successful real estate launch of Q3 FY21-22, Kumar Parc Residences, for its star client Kumar Properties. With a focused and powerpacked 2 months of preparation, the project saw unprecedented sales of INR 1.5 billion (60 per cent of total) in mere 4 weeks of launch. The success is driven by the credibility of Kumar Properties in real estate market and the innovative marketing strategy deployed by Xanadu Realty - India’s foremost business accelerator and growth expert in the realty sector. This is a testament to the RE marketing imperative - adopt cuttingedge marketing initiatives that encapsulate a 360-degree approach to showcase, communicate and drive the exponential growth in the Indian real estate market. Speaking on the unprecedented success, Mr. Vikas Chaturvedi, CEO Xanadu Realty said, “We drive accelerated sales momentum on the back of sound marketing and sales strategies. The key success

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driver for Kumar Parc Residences was a holistic campaign that targeted three key consideration drivers – location, growth, and lifestyle. At Xanadu, we operate with a strong consumer centric approach which allows us to extrapolate insights, propelling us towards unique consumer led marketing solutions. The response from Kumar Parc Residences is a testament to Xanadu’s excellence and the consumer at the heart of the approach. Xanadu’s strength originates from a large network of Channel partners in Pune and a strong in-house Direct-Tech

system that includes Digital and D2C set ups. Within 6 months of operations in Pune, we have started setting benchmarks, and are confident to establish ourselves as the leading growth partner in the Pune real estate market.” Buoyed by the festive season, Xanadu conceptualised the campaign ‘Fireworks’, which build relevance during the festive season, and drew interest to a unique offering in the micro-market. Hadapsar had witnessed tremendous growth a decade ago with the rise of Magarpatta SEZ and affiliate retail and commercial establishments. A key insight captured during market research, was the need to transform Hadapsar. With the need for a holistic lifestyle and growing demand in consumer preferences, the campaign concept of ‘Happening Hadapsar’, was created. This concept helped build an immediate connect with consumers in East Pune. The project - Codename Fireworks further went on to build a unique differentiated offering by being at the ‘Heart of Happening Hadapsar’, boasting of amenities within 100 meters.

REAL ESTATE

HOMEOWNERS CAN NOW SHOP ONLINE WITH HIPPOS STORES

ith the vision of being a part of every Indian home’s construction and renovation - Hippo Stores - India’s first one-stop solution for all building products launched its e-commerce platform in February 2022 for B2C customers aka home owners. The platform, offering 30,000+ products from 160+ brands, all at wholesale prices will help homeowners to order seamlessly from anywhere. Available for retailers and contractors since March, 2021, the digital platform has already given retailers and contractors the ability to order digitally without the requirement to be tech-savvy.

The Indian building products industry is large and growing, estimated to be worth INR 6.2 lakh crores. However, the industry is highly fragmented and unorganized and all stakeholders, from homeowners to contractors, retailers and manufacturers have to deal with a complex, non-transparent and often broken supply chain. Home construction is a complex process with different material required at each stage. The entire burden of aggregation lies on the homeowner and the contractor. They have to make more than 70 market visits on average, for selecting the right product and brand,

checking availability, negotiating costs and finally getting the required material through multiple channels of sale. The necessity of technical knowledge and the sheer size of investment in building a home makes this process more complex. Hippo Stores solves this problem by providing a one-stop online solution for customers – to select and purchase all their requirements from a single source at wholesale prices. Hippostores.com will enhance the buying process of home owners too, by enabling them to browse through a number of items at any time. What makes the online platform unique is its proposition to let the customers compare prices of a wide selection of building products from assorted brands, across various categories. Moreover, to help the customers buy the right product for their requirement, Hippo Stores offline store has more than 40 product specialists to assist customers in decision making by providing technical product know-how. Apart from an e-commerce app for ordering and tracking, Hippo Stores’ digital ecosystem through its soon to be launched Hippo Social, will add site and contractor listing to connect contractors with homeowners, and will have added features to enable real-time project tracking. With its unique proposition, more than 20,000 contractors and small retailers in Delhi NCR have already registered themselves as members with Hippo Stores.

SUSTAINABLE PROPTECH STARTUPS GET A BOOST WITH ‘GRUHAS ASPIRE’

ruhas Proptech announced a call for applications for Gruhas ASPIRE: Accelerating Sustainable Proptech in Real Estate, a 6-month scaling program for early-stage Proptech startups, powered by Anthill Ventures and in partnership with the DLF Family Office. The Gruhas ASPIRE scaling program follows closely on the heels of the announcement of the Gruhas Proptech USD 100m fund made last year, which is slated to go live in the first quarter of FY (Financial Year) 22-23. The Gruhas ASPIRE program will make strategic investments in each startup, enable market access via India’s leading developers and property managers, and provide dedicated support in marketing,

sales, product, team, and other business challenges. The program will ensure that cohort startups secure POCs (Proof of concepts) through a strong corporate network and raise capital via Anthill’s investor network as well as a demo day at the end of the program. Applications for the program will close on May 30, post which the cohort startups will be announced. The program will commence in June this year and will end in November with a demo day allowing startups to pitch to investors for further fundraising. The startups will be selected based on the following criteria: • Early stage i.e., seed or pre-series A start-ups

• Focused on any of the following subsectors within Proptech including (1) Construction Management, (2) Property & Asset Management, (3) New Materials and Technologies, and (4) Investments and Financing • Market need for their product or solution Proptech is at an inflection point; despite the slowdowns caused by the pandemic, investments in this sector reached a record USD 551M in 2020. While historically the sector has been fragmented and employed traditional business practices, it is undergoing a revitalization with an influx of technologies like blockchain, AR/VR, IOT (Internet of Things), artificial intelligence, and robotics. Additionally, the sector’s contribution to climate change is high, with ~40 per cent of all emissions attributed to construction and property management. Attitudes are changing and decarbonizing the sector is critical, with clean construction materials and technologies and sustainable asset management being a focus for developers and property managers.

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OUTLOOK 2022

#WOMEN DESERVE CREDIT: FINTECH INDUSTRY BATS FOR EQUALITY Women's bank accounts, on the other hand, cannot be the ultimate objective of financial inclusion. The urgent need is to not only raise awareness among women but also to design financial products for them that address their special demands.

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t's no wonder that women trail so far behind males in terms of financial literacy: just 27 per cent of Indians are financially aware. Only 20 per cent of financially literate women have a basic comprehension of financial concepts. It's no surprise, however, that India ranks 140th out of 156 nations in the Global Gender Gap Index (2021), down 28 places from the previous year.

of schooling. This is critical since financial inclusion can only be achieved via education and awareness.

This isn't to say the country hasn't made progress, with programmes like the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) and Direct Benefit Transfers assisting women is gaining momentum. According to the World Bank Findex Report, the percentage of women who possess bank accounts has increased from 43 per cent in 2014 to 77 per cent in 2017. This would not have been possible without the PMJDY's help.

FinTechs have a great chance to augment the government's vision and fill in the gaps created by traditional banking and finance channels.

However, more has to be done, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently stating that the government aims to enhance the representation of women from all backgrounds and groups in all levels

Women's bank accounts, on the other hand, cannot be the ultimate objective of financial inclusion. The urgent need is to not only raise awareness among women but also to design financial products for them that address their special demands.

While FinTechs' technology breakthroughs are frequently viewed as catalysts for a better and more prosperous future, they may also offer value to current infrastructure. It's also critical not to squander the progress gained thus far, but rather to build on its strengths and correct its flaws. Traditional finance has failed women because it is unable to comprehend their financial requirements and worries. As a

OUTLOOK 2022

may not be nimble enough to rethink how certain populations function. Lending methods and background check standards are established in stone. Why modify something that appears to be working for some people? The issue is that, although the cart is sauntering along on its wooden wheels, it might be moving quicker and more smoothly as it picks up more people. This is especially advantageous if the new passengers are less rowdy. Women are better borrowers than males, being more credit mindful and less likely to default. According to a market survey of 200,000 borrowers, male borrowers fared worse, with maximum late payments of 82 per cent compared to 18 per cent for female borrowers. Wo m e n ' s f i n a n c i a l i n c l u s i o n m a y be improved in a variety of ways by stakeholders in the FinTech ecosystem, both individually and collectively. Along with a focus on ethical and transparent lending, a focus on establishing a comfortable and smooth experience for women seeking loans should be prioritised in the lending arena.

result, the financial services industry has been unable to provide financial products that address these issues. Consider the cultural attitudes and constructions that contribute to female marginalisation. These have to do with the male-dominated character of the sector a woman seeks to enter in various circumstances. This turns a seemingly straightforward task like taking out a loan into a minefield. What if the person handling the loan application is a man? Even if the loan is approved, what if a male collection officer shows up at your house demanding payment? Female loan applicants are more likely to be turned down than their male counterparts. They have a harder problem getting loans since the traditional banking system isn't flexible enough to account for their lack of asset ownership, income stability, and economic equality with men (all other things being held equal). While these are the components of conventional finance in India that are lacking, the behind-the-scenes aspects are just as vital. Large financial organisations

Credit underwriting innovations can go a long way toward allowing credit to be extended to a broader range of borrowers. Machine learning and data science can be used to do this. F i n Te c h s m a y a l s o a s s i s t f e m a l e entrepreneurs in running more successful enterprises, whether through creative loans, digital or open banking systems, or better-engineered financial goods. This should be a top priority for a lender since a customer with a successful business will make regular payments. Despite this, financing institutions reject 19 per cent of female Indian entrepreneurs compared to only 8 per cent of their male counterparts.

Women's financial inclusion may be improved in a variety of ways by stakeholders in the FinTech ecosystem, both individually and collectively. Along with a focus on ethical and transparent lending, a focus on establishing a comfortable and smooth experience for women seeking loans should be prioritised in the lending arena.

In certain places of India, statistics suggest that the number of female borrowers is increasing faster than the number of male borrowers. While this may signify more financial freedom, it might also lead to more women experiencing financial trouble due to a lack of general financial literacy; loans may have been accepted without full knowledge of interest and penalties, or even under duress from family members. The goal is to unlock the potential of FinTech solutions to stimulate innovation and boost competition, resulting in better products. India may have a lot more Nykaas if the government's initiatives are combined.

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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

India is already regarded as the pharmaceutical capital of the world. During the epidemic, India launched the world's largest vaccination campaign, administering about 170 million immunizations and exporting over 5 million vaccine doses to 70 countries, solidifying its position in the healthcare industry.

HEALTHCARE IN INDIA:

POSSIBILITIES ABOUND

he Covid-19 epidemic has posed a tremendous set of hurdles to India's healthcare system and business during the last two years. It exposed all of the flaws in the system and brought attention to the need for a medical revolution. Despite the difficulties, there were possibilities. In a post-pandemic world, the Indian healthcare system has a unique opportunity to adapt while looking back and ready to launch into the future while keeping public welfare in mind. India is already regarded as the pharmaceutical capital of the world. During the epidemic, India launched the world's largest vaccination campaign, administering about 170 million immunizations and exporting over 5 million vaccine doses to 70 countries, solidifying its position in the healthcare industry. Today, the country is in the middle of a MedTech revolution, with rising infrastructure and investments, due to an increasing need for medical treatment. India is also a fantastic location for medical tourism, which adds to its allure.

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Many firms have begun producing Ultrasound, CT Scanners, Ventilators, and even MRI devices as part of the Make in India initiative. Because to Make in India, APMTZ has become a manufacturing centre, and the percentage of imported goods has decreased. Make in India will be a larger success with a speedier clearance procedure and a Production Linked Incentive (PLI). Indian software businesses have made significant progress in developing AI, Teleradiology software, and HIS, RIS, and PACS software for worldwide use. The National Digital Health Mission will serve as a springboard for offering the finest healthcare to everyone.

Today's FDI and the Future of Healthcare India has portrayed itself as a lucrative investment for foreign private actors in recent years, with the government's active backing, incentivizing and encouraging Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in the nation. This has enabled investments in the establishment of hospitals,

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

healthcare centres, and medical device production, resulting in increased growth and infrastructure development. This booming industry will also benefit from the government's USD 6.8 billion credit incentive scheme. This, combined with India's skilled and cost-effective labour systems, creates fertile ground for publicprivate collaboration.

practitioners to meet everyone's needs. The doctor-patient ratio in India is 1:834, according to a recent official answer.

Increasing personal and family health awareness While the urban population is already focusing on self-monitoring and making lifestyle adjustments to avoid or manage sickness, the epidemic has heightened the demand for fitness.

• The most essential infrastructural initiative would be a faster implementation of the National Digital Health Mission.

Preventive medicine and health screening are increasing in popularity as people's purchasing power rises and more young people enter the workforce.

• High-end goods such as MRIs, CT scanners, and ultrasound devices made in India at inexpensive pricing will assist to expand the installed base in tier 2 and 3 cities.

To keep track of one's health, the new coronavirus emphasised personal hygiene,

While this is better than the WHO's recommended (1:1000), it still falls short of what industrialised nations have. Here are some suggestions to make sure no patient falls between the cracks:

• Tele-radiology and AI-based reporting technologies might help bridge the Doctor-to-Patient Gap.

• India is noted for its low-cost innovation and a vast range of applications. With the correct assistance, we can accelerate the medical business by encouraging a culture of innovation. Not only for Indians but people all around the world, the country has enormous potential to grow and promote innovative and emerging ideas. • Innovation, backed by a culture of scientific study unique to the Indian subcontinent, will not only improve patient care but will also keep us up to date on physiology unique to our region. • Indians can prevent travels to healthcare facilities through early detection and home management, if feasible, through routine healthcare screening. • By duplicating some of utilised in the engineering may leverage its medical adding additional medical institutes.

exercise, and diet, as well as preventative monitoring and medical exams. With the number of cancer cases in the country on the increase, it's more important than ever for individuals to recognise the indications and get treatment as soon as possible.

Recommendations for improving Indian healthcare Even with a constant growth rate, the healthcare business has holes that can be filled. Despite having the world's biggest working-age population, India still lacks enough medical

the tactics sector, India business by schools and

• We can encourage students from all socioeconomic backgrounds to pursue a career in medicine by making loans simpler to get and lowering the cost of medical education.

India is noted for its low-cost innovation and a vast range of applications. With the correct assistance, we can accelerate the medical business by encouraging a culture of innovation. Not only for Indians but people all around the world, the country has enormous potential to grow and promote innovative and emerging ideas.

• Because of the country's general shortage of experts, an investment in specialists and a drive toward specialised medicine will benefit the country greatly. India has the potential to become a healthcare behemoth, thanks to several variables working in its favour. It only needs to take the appropriate moves in the right way to become a powerhouse in this industry.

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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

METAVERSE:

TREND OR HERE TO STAY?

The workforce's unavoidable future was later advanced into what is currently in use — a hybrid of remote and traditional working models. It's also known as the hybrid workplace culture, which Microsoft's 160000+ employees are attempting to instil.

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April 2022

he term 'Metaverse' has become popular in recent years. It's a futuristic concept that provides immersive experiences. Is it merely a passing craze, or will it last long enough to carry us into the future? Many organisations, decision-makers, and startups think about this. The epidemic has been a major driving force in popularising the remote working model. The workforce's unavoidable future was later advanced into what is currently in use — a hybrid of remote and traditional working models. It's also known as the hybrid workplace culture, which Microsoft's 160000+ employees are attempting to instil. Employees value flexibility in their lives, as evidenced by recent studies. They admire companies that place a high emphasis on their personnel. In this aspect, we have reason to believe that the hybrid revolution will eventually benefit employees by allowing businesses to have a stronger relationship with their workforce.

Before That, What is the Metaverse? In a nutshell, the Metaverse is an online environment that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, just like the actual world. It is more than a virtual world; it has its own economy, which is supported by creators and infrastructure suppliers.

Essentially, the Metaverse is based on the concept of interoperability – specifically, the use of non-fungible tokens, as opposed to traditional games that rely on closed systems. Some projects, such as Sandbox and Decentraland, are now utilising Metaverse concepts and providing an early view of how the notion might seem. The notion of Metaverse was introduced by the mainstream, as well as various startups and small-timers, around the same time. They contributed their own thoughts to the discussion.

Metaverse in the Present Times Games like Minecraft and Roblox delivered Metaverse-like experiences long before blockchain-enabled games like Decentraland and Sandbox existed. Second Life, an online game focused on living in a virtual world, debuted in 2003 and gave players a glimpse into how Metaverse work long before blockchain technology existed. In addition to the game's own fungible money, both Sandbox and Decentraland incorporate NFT assets into their environments. For example, non-fungible tokens are used to buy virtual lands on Decentraland

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

and decorations for your virtual avatar on Sandbox, and players can trade them in and out of the game because such virtual goods are intentionally scarce. You'll need a crypto wallet like Metamask to sign in right now if you want to be a part of such an early Metaverse; however Web2 sign in (using your Google or Apple account) is also feasible in programmes like Spatial, where you can participate in virtual social spaces. You can also take a look around in Decentraland, Sandbox, and Spatial, which all include virtual hangout spots. Virtual reality (VR) headsets appear to be an intrinsic feature of such virtual worlds in the current phase of the Metaverse as a concept. Almost every virtual reality development company, such as Meta and Steam, is creating their own cyberspace for their VR devices.

have always been the way of the future. The aforementioned circumstance comes with a slew of drawbacks, including a lack of continuity in critical discussions, an inability to work effectively, and even a sense of isolation while cut off from their teammates. These challenges are also present among office workers who collaborate with colleagues who may be located all over the world. This is where the Metaverse and virtual workspaces are useful. Companies of different sizes and structures have succeeded to establish great company cultures by making the best of the current circumstances and overcoming tremendous hurdles. They also met their goals and established an effective work structure at their companies. Hybrid work environments are gradually becoming the norm. People will soon be able to log into their offices while being location-independent if Metaverse and hybrid working collide. According to a Lenovo survey, nearly 44 per cent of employees expressed an interest in working in the Metaverse. Approximately 44 per cent of employees believe that working in the Metaverse will boost their productivity. This leads us back to the original question: Is the Metaverse a realistic solution to the problems that Hybrid Work cultures face? Is the Metaverse a viable option?

The concept of the Metaverse let us realise that there are a plethora of possibilities that we would not have considered otherwise. It allowed employees to collaborate as if they were in the same room, even though they were logged in from separate locations. It enables global and remote teamwork to be as efficient and productive as a team that gathers every day in a physical workplace. However, if you look closely, you'll notice that it was nothing new other than the introduction of a hybrid and flexible work culture into the mainstream. There were substantial conversations about moving forward from traditional work cultures even before the pandemic broke out. According to Microsoft data, 73 per cent of employees seek flexible yet remote working choices as a reason to stay with the company. The epidemic may have brought it about a little sooner, but hybrid working and distributed-global teams

Yes and no would be the response. It's possible that Metaverse will not continue in the same form as it is now. It will go through several variations before becoming regarded as the standard, much as the traditional workspace went through many changes before settling down within office settings. The Metaverse is now only touching the surface of being the future of the workforce, from having easier access to VR and AR technologies to developing an error-free Metaverse workspace. Is the Metaverse a viable option? That would be a unique and challenging question to address. As previously stated, it is dependent on the iterations that it will undergo, particularly in the areas of data security, privacy, sustainability, and a variety of other areas. However, I believe it is realistic and might be the answer to the employee experience that we all seek. However, it must be developed to meet the needs of employees, be environmentally sustainable, and bring the globe closer together rather than creating communication and comprehension gaps wherever it is applied.

The epidemic may have brought it about a little sooner, but hybrid working and distributedglobal teams have always been the way of the future. The aforementioned circumstance comes with a slew of drawbacks, including a lack of continuity in critical discussions, an inability to work effectively, and even a sense of isolation while cut off from their teammates.

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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

HOW SUCCESSFUL & WEALTHY PEOPLE

MANAGE THEIR MONEY

f you're patient and lucky, and you work hard in your business, you might one day be faced with the ultimate privileged problem: what to do with all this money.

separate account for their requests and stick to the parameters. You may have to disappoint folks or give them less than they asked for on occasion.

It's a question we've been asked a lot. This can also aid you if you're selling your business, taking it public, or coming into some other type of commercial or personal fortune.

4. Pay off high-interest debt and refrain from taking out new loans unless you have a fixed-rate mortgage Surprisingly, now that you're wealthy, you're far more likely to borrow money. Resist the urge to give in.

1. For the long term, live within your means You have a lot of money. To celebrate, do something nice for yourself and your family. Then remember: you want to keep your riches by exercising the same restraint that helped you obtain them in the first place. It's not a race to save, invest, and live. It's a long-distance race. 2. After taxes, spend no more than 7 per cent of your windfall each year Let's say you inherit USD 1 million after taxes, which isn't a lot of money. If you want this money to last, use it slowly, taking advantage of investment returns while keeping the majority of the principal. Spending 7 per cent of your income every year, or USD 70,000 in this case, is quite a lot. If you're young and want to make sure your money lasts, consider purchasing an annuity that will pay you USD 50,000 per year for the rest of your life.

3. Create a budget that allows you to aid those who are close to you It's difficult to say no when friends ask for assistance, especially when they know you have money. You'll probably start hearing about worthwhile causes from friends, relatives, and acquaintances. Set up a

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April 2022

or transactions that claim to protect assets from taxes or college financial aid responsibilities. Put a portion of your new money into a reasonably priced annuity to get a realistic picture of how much you can spend.

7. Hire a reputable accountant, lawyer, and fee-only financial advisor who will uphold a fiduciary standard in all transactions You wish to stick to a dull financial strategy Pay off any credit cards or other highand have the assistance of reliable pros. Your interest debts as soon as possible, and don't financial adviser can (and frequently will) sell take on any new loans besides you overpriced investments if you a standard 15- or 30-year don't have certain fiduciary mortgage. If your company protections. If you're has a lot of debt, talk to a expecting a windfall, talk to Keep in mind financial advisor about the these experts ahead of time to donate benefits and drawbacks of so you can plan for logistics paying it off. and tax ramifications. to causes

that are

5. Manage your new fortune 8. Don't make any important to as a responsible steward financial decisions without you and your rather than consulting a professional community. a risky investor If you're thinking about starting a new retirement You're an expert at what account or selling some you do. This achievement, stock to pay for a child's however, should not lead college tuition, talk to your accountant, you to assume you are a better investor lawyer, and financial adviser beforehand. or financial decision-maker than you are. These experts can explain the tax Stick to company investments and deals implications and other consequences for that are related to your core competencies, you, your family, and your heirs. and seek professional guidance on your investments. 9. Donate liberally to a 6. Invest in index funds with cheap well-known charity fees, as well as annuities based on them You are fortunate. Keep in mind to donate to causes that are important to you and Almost all other assets are outperformed your community. Don't forget to check out by simple index funds. Charity Navigator, GiveWell, or Effective Altruism before donating to a charitable Avoid gimmicky assets and fleeting fads organisation. such as initial coin offerings (ICOs)

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