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Mint Primer

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In this podcast adaptation of the renowned Mint Primer, host Rohan delivers concise, digestible Q&A sessions on headline stories. Every morning, gain valuable insights into major, intricate narratives for a comprehensive understanding. Dive deeper into Primer's breaking news, opinions, special reports, and more. This is a Mint production, brought to you by HT Smartcast.
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Episodes

What MSCI's index tweaks mean for India

In its February 2023 Index review, MSCI reduced the weightage of four Adani group companies after their market capitalization declined. It later postponed the decision. Jagadish Shettigar and Pooja Misra examines the influence of such indices and the takeaways for regulators. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev

Feb 27, 20237 minEp. 151

A taxing question India can’t resolve: What’s an SUV?

India doesn’t quite know how to define a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and that has led to confusion on how to tax them. Nearly six years after the GST was implemented, the Centre is now looking at plugging loopholes to prevent any ‘unintended tax evasion’. Sumant Banerji explains. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev

Feb 23, 20237 minEp. 149

The multiplier impact of more expressways

With the inauguration of the 246-km Delhi-Dausa-Lalsot section of the Delhi-Mumbai expressway last week, the travel-time between Delhi and Jaipur is expected to come down to three hours. There are other economic implications. Mint's Jagadish Shettigar & Pooja Misra Explains. This Episode is Hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Feb 22, 20237 minEp. 148

Why are top TV channels going off cable?

Major television broadcasters including Disney Star, Zee Entertainment Enterprises and Sony Pictures Networks India have switched off signals to cable operators, as the latter refuse to roll out channel price hikes. Mint's Lata Jha explains both sides of the story. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Feb 20, 20236 minEp. 147

Why trade settlement in rupee is off to a tentative start

Some 20 banks have opened special vostro accounts to settle foreign trade in rupees. However, the mechanism is yet to take off with exporters flagging issues. Russian buyers, meanwhile, are offering payments to Indian exporters in yuan and dirham. Ravi Dutta Mishra explains in his report.

Feb 17, 20236 minEp. 146

What’s behind the bumper plane orders?

India has scripted aviation history with the mammoth 540 aircraft order by Air India. Anu Sharma explains why Indian airlines are placing such big bets in a business which is often synonymous with paper-thin margins and volatile cost structures. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Feb 16, 20236 minEp. 145

The big lithium find: Risks and rewards

The discovery of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium in Jammu & Kashmir is a major boost for India’s electrification plans but mining is a high-risk, high-reward game in the ecologically sensitive Himalayas. Sumant Banerji explains in his report. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Feb 14, 20236 minEp. 144

Explained: The logic behind long-term capex loans for states

Union budget 2023-24 has proposed to continue with the 50-year interest-free loan to state governments that aid infrastructure investment. Jagadish Shettigar and Pooja Misra examine the long-term strategy behind this capital expenditure plan. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Feb 13, 20236 minEp. 143

Risk profiles: Startups, tech cos face 20k job cuts in 6 months

Tech and startup companies continue to lay off employees citing over-hiring, cost pressures and funding challenges. Over the next six months, about 20,000 job cuts are expected, with certain profiles more at risk. Mint's Devina Sengupta explains in this episode. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Feb 10, 20236 minEp. 142

Will Microsoft Bing outplay Google’s Bard?

Will Microsoft Bing outplay Google’s Bard? Jolted by the phenomenal success of ChatGPT, Google launched Bard, its AI-powered chatbot. Microsoft countered two days later with its AI-powered Bing search engine and Edge browser. Will Google succumb to, or prevail over, the onslaught of OpenAI and Microsoft? Leslie D'Monte and Prasid Banerjee explains in this episode.

Feb 10, 20237 minEp. 141

Angel tax returns, spooks India's startups

The Indian startup ecosystem was caught by surprise after the Finance Bill 2023 expanded the scope of ‘angel tax’ last week to include foreign investors. Ranjani Raghavan explains the new amendment, the main concerns of the industry and its implications. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Feb 07, 20236 minEp. 140

Costly wheat and the cloud over our daily bread

Wheat prices have stayed stubbornly high in India, despite several steps by the government including an export ban last year and a recent announcement of open market sales. In a pre-poll year, the size of the winter harvest, beginning April, will be critical. Sayantan Bera takes a close look. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Feb 03, 20236 minEp. 139

All that you need to know about this year’s budget

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget speech was all of 13,761 words, a little over two-fifths longer than her speech in 2022. In this episode, we discuss the major points of the budget. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Feb 02, 202310 minEp. 138

Budget 2023-24: Key expectations in a pre-poll year

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her fifth consecutive budget today. This being the last full budget before the general elections, her formidable task: boost growth and demand without diluting fiscal targets. Mint summarizes the expectations. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Feb 01, 20236 minEp. 137

Economic Survey: Its importance and what to expect

Ahead of the Union budget on 1 February, the government today presents the Economic Survey for 2022-23. Jagadish Shettigar and Pooja Misra examine its significance for the economy and what we could expect from the vital document. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Jan 31, 20236 minEp. 136

How Google’s Android tweaks might play out

In a surprising move, Google said it is going to change some of its policies specifically for India in order to abide by the directives issued by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). Mint's Prasid Banerjee examines the changes.

Jan 27, 20236 minEp. 135

Sethusamudram: High cost-low returns, or Adam's wrath?

Among large projects in India that are jinxed, the Sethusamudram shipping canal project, which would connect Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar, takes the cake. Experts are divided on the pros and cons of the project. N Madhavan explains its economic implications. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Jan 26, 20237 minEp. 134

How India can tap a bigger slice of NRI money

According to World Bank, remittances to India by non-resident Indians (NRIs) are expected to touch $100 billion in 2022. Increased remittances is a boon and may help in stabilizing the rupee. Jagadish Shettigar and Pooja Misra explain the trend and how tapping NRI resources can help the economy. This episode is being hosted by Praisd Banerjee.

Jan 25, 20237 minEp. 133

What’s next in the Yes Bank AT1 bonds saga?

The Bombay High Court has set aside a March 2020 decision by the banking regulator and the Yes Bank administrator to write off ₹8,415 crore worth of the bank’s additional tier-1 bonds as part of a bailout of the private lender. Mint's Gopika Gopakumar explains the likely impact of the decision. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Jan 24, 20236 minEp. 132

How GST brought cheer to some states, not others

The north-eastern states have been the biggest beneficiaries of the five-year-old goods and services tax (GST) regime, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) report on State Finances released earlier this week. Dilasha Seth explains how some states gained but others didn’t. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Jan 23, 20237 minEp. 131

Why India needs to go for a fresh fertilizer policy

A task force to examine production and promotion of bio-fertilizer and organic fertilizers has already been set up under the Niti Aayog. As the government is expected to come out with a new fertilizer policy, Mint's Jagdish Shettigar & Pooja Misra examines its implications. This episode is hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Jan 19, 20236 minEp. 130

UPI for NRIs: What it means for India and Indians abroad

The National Payments Corp. of India (NPCI) has allowed Indians abroad to use the fast payments network UPI, if their domestic bank accounts are linked to their foreign mobile numbers. Shayan Ghosh takes a look at what this means for non-resident Indians (NRIs) and for UPI. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

Jan 18, 20237 minEp. 129

Is China finally leashing its wolf warriors?

A series of changes by China signal that Beijing is abandoning a diplomatic strategy that has earned it an unpleasant reputation. Shashank Mattoo breaks down China’s so-called ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy, how it developed, and why Beijing may be looking to give it up. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Jan 16, 20236 minEp. 128

Will CCI order crimp Android in India?

Android maker Google has claimed that the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) October order directing the company to modify how Android works in India, will stall the smartphone operating system’s growth in India. Mint's Prasid Banerjee examines the claim.

Jan 12, 20238 minEp. 127

How junk food ads mislead with health pitch

In a recent ad, a top actor asks hassled mothers to give kids a pack of biscuits which, he asserts, has the power of milk and atta. The ad has hit a raw nerve, with experts seeking a stop to celebrities endorsing such food. Mint explores the regulatory landscape around junk food. Report by Sayantan Bera & Hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Jan 12, 20236 minEp. 126

What does RBI's Financial Stability Report reveal?

Gross bad loans at banks have been declining and hit a seven-year low of 5% in September, shows the RBI’s Financial Stability Report (FSR). Its stress tests showed that banks are capable of absorbing shocks even under adverse situations. Mint analyses the report. This article is being written by Jagadish Shettigar and Pooja Misra. Episde hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Jan 10, 20236 minEp. 125

FMC is the govt's move to push coal out of mines quicker

Improving the logistics of moving coal is critical for India, which is trying to reduce its energy dependence. The coal ministry has announced several first-mile connectivity (FMC) projects, in line with the government’s coal logistics policy. Rituraj Baruah explains how this will help. This episode is being hosted by Mint's Prasid Banerjee.

Jan 06, 20236 minEp. 124

Will ChatGPT kill search engines or make them smarter?

Microsoft is reportedly planning to integrate a version of its Bing search engine with the AI-powered ChatGPT to answer search queries instead of just displaying a list of links, according to The Information. If true, will this move make search engines redundant or radically transform them? This report is being written by Leslie D'Monte and hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Jan 05, 20237 minEp. 123

Keep an eye on these economic indicators in 2023

Global headwinds, tightening monetary policy and the lingering effects of the pandemic have combined to create a gloomy global outlook. However, supported by domestic growth, India is projected to be one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Jagadish Shettigar and Pooja Misra analyses in this episode. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Jan 03, 20236 minEp. 122

5 global crises that will keep you on edge this year

After a turbulent 2022, the world is heading into another year of multiple disruptions, apart from an economic slowdown. Shashank Mattoo breaks down five crises, some old and others new, to watch out for in the months ahead. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Jan 03, 20236 minEp. 121
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