Episodes
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Why is India’s e-commerce policy holding back growth when its online retail market has already crossed $60 billion? Could clearer regulation, greater foreign investment and better support for MSMEs unlock the next phase of India’s digital economy?In this episode of Eye On Retail By The Core Report, an initiative supported by Flipkart, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj speaks with Jay Gulish of the US-India Business Council and Ashish Fafadia of Blume Ventures about the policy choices shaping India’s e-commerce market.India’s e-commerce growth has been powered by foreign capital, technology, logistics and rapid consumer adoption. But private consumption is slowing, policy uncertainty continues and Indian small businesses still struggle to reach customers outside the country.The conversation examines whether India should reconsider restrictions on inventory-led e-commerce, why policy consistency matters to global investors and how a gradual liberalisation of the market could support consumption, competition and exports.The guests also explain why this debate is not only about large online marketplaces. India’s MSMEs contribute significantly to GDP, exports and employment, but many remain constrained by high logistics costs, limited credit, weak digital adoption and restricted access to international markets.Can e-commerce help Indian small businesses sell globally? How can policymakers protect kirana stores while helping MSMEs become more efficient, better financed and internationally competitive?The discussion also covers FDI in e-commerce, India’s online retail policy, MSME finance, digital commerce, logistics costs, data regulation, cross-border e-commerce and the future of India’s consumer economy.Watch Eye On Retail By The Core Report on The Core for an informed discussion on the business and policy decisions shaping India’s retail economy.Why is India’s e-commerce policy holding back growth? As India’s $60 billion online retail market expands, clearer regulation, greater foreign investment and stronger support for MSMEs could unlock digital commerce, cross-border e-commerce, exports and India’s wider digital economy. Watch Eye On Retail by The Core Report for insights into e-commerce growth, MSME finance and retail policy.#IndiaEcommerce #EcommercePolicy #MSMEGrowth #OnlineRetail #DigitalEconomy #EyeOnRetail #TheCoreReport #TheCore
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On Episode 931 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Nikit Popli, Partner, Indirect Tax and Incentives at KPMG as well as Shub Bhowmick, Co-founder and CEO at Tredence. We also feature an excerpt from Episode 4 of our Series Eye on Retail in partnership with Flipkart.
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) The Take
(05:57) Stocks Have A Good Week But May Not Survive The Resumption Of War.
(06:50) Banking, Reliance Results Come In Strong.
(08:54) What Will The 127,000 Crore India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 Outlay Deliver?
(16:40) How Does Agentic Commerce Work And What Determines Its Effectiveness?
(26:58) Chinese AI Company Moonshot Released Kimi K3 Friday, Claiming Benchmarks Comparable To Top US LLMs.
(28:13) Can India’s $60 Billion E-Commerce Market Drive Consumption?
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Missing episodes?
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Why does Dubai still feel like home for Indian wealth? In this episode of The Core Report Weekend Edition, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj speaks with Jamil Khatri, CEO of Uniqus Consultech, about why Indian business families, family offices and global investors continue to choose Dubai, and how the India UAE investment corridor is evolving amid geopolitical uncertainty.
Jamil Khatri explains why the Middle East’s transformation extends far beyond oil, how sovereign wealth funds from the UAE and Saudi Arabia are investing in India, and why Indian companies are increasingly exploring opportunities across the Gulf.
The discussion also examines why India continues to attract global capital, what still holds back foreign investment, and why ease of doing business may matter more than tax incentives. Jamil argues that India’s biggest challenge is no longer access to capital or global opportunities, but developing the entrepreneurial ambition and risk appetite to build truly global companies.
The episode explores India UAE investments, Saudi Arabia Vision 2030, family offices, Dubai wealth migration, foreign direct investment, global capability centres, AI centres of excellence, cross-border acquisitions and the future of Indian businesses overseas.
From Dubai’s appeal to Indian family offices to the emerging opportunities in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, this conversation examines where Indian capital is moving and what could shape the next phase of India Middle East business.
#Dubai #IndiaUAE #IndiaEconomy #MiddleEast #GlobalBusiness #TheCoreReport #TheCore
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On Episode 929 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Sanjay Notani, Partner at Economics Law Practice (ELP).
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) Stories of the Day
(01:00) Indian Markets Steady Even Global Markets Are Volatile
(05:25) Voltas Raises Prices, More Brands Could Follow
(06:34) A Lot Of Money Is Locked Up In Security Deposits For Taking Homes On Rent, How Much Comes Back?
(08:14) The India-UK FTA Kicked Off On Wednesday, What Are The Early Signs Looking Like?
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On Episode 928 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Mukesh Chand, Senior Counsel at ELP (Economic Laws Practice).
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) Stories of the Day
(01:00) Markets Adjust To Longer War Reality In West Asia
(04:31) PayPal sees a takeover bid that could value it more than $50 billion
(05:45) The Second Phase Of India’s Semiconductor Mission Kicks Off With 127,000 Crore
(09:38) NCLT Approved A Record 78 Resolution Plans Under The Insolvency And Bankruptcy Code In The Last Quarter
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On Episode 927 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Economist Ajit Ranade.
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) Stories of the Day
(01:09) West Asia Truce Collapses But Impact On Markets Could Be Lesser
(02:58) Direct Tax Collections Are Up 16%
(07:28) Electronics Trade Deficit At $8.4 Billion Now Forms 28% Of India’s Goods Trade Deficit, With Imports Growing Faster Than Oil
(09:22) Wholesale Price Inflation Is Up
(10:14) Why Loans For US-Bound Students Have Dropped 57% From The Previous Year
(11:03) Why India’s Sovereign Bond Yields Are Hiding A Problem
(24:23) Check Out Claude’s India Pricing Strategy
(25:13) Which Way Do You Think Ticket Prices Are Going For The Semifinals And Finals Of The World Cup?
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On Episode 926 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Varun Lohchab, Chief Research Officer–Equities at HDFC Securities as well as Aditi Nayar, Chief Economist at ICRA.
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) Stories of the Day
(01:09) The Markets Hold Their Ground Despite Renewed Fighting In West Asia
(04:00) Asian Paints Raises Prices By A Surprising 12% In Sign Of Tail Order Impact
(05:13) The SpaceX Stock Debacle, The Story Behind The Story
(08:01) Retail Inflation Hits 4.8% As Impact Of Fuel Price Hikes, Food Kicks In
(16:05) India's Exports Rose By 15.5 Per Cent To $40.41 Billion In June
(17:55) Earnings Season Has Kicked Off, What Lies In Store?
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On Episode 925 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Harsh Gupta Madhusudan, Fund Manager & Chief Equity Strategist at Ionic Wealth, a part of Angel One.
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) The Take
(04:50) Markets Are Savouring The Return Of FIIs And Hope
(07:20) India Exports To The UK Are Quite Low And Low Market Share Alone Does Not Signal A Big Opportunity.
(10:11) Garments Offer The Biggest Opportunity In India’s Exports To The UK But Other Areas Need Work.
(12:53) A Structural Long Term View On The Markets.
(27:40) The AI World Is Surprising Us By Hiring Graduates Of A Discipline You Would Have Never Dreamt Of.
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Can Jio BlackRock Change How India Invests In Mutual Funds? In this episode of The Core Report Weekend Edition, Financial Journalist Govindraj Ethiraj speaks with Sid Swaminathan, MD and CEO, JioBlackRock AMC, about why one of the world’s biggest asset managers is betting on India’s next wave of investors and what it could mean for mutual funds, digital investing and portfolio building.India’s mutual fund industry has grown fast, but Jio BlackRock believes the country may still be at the beginning of a much larger investing shift. With BlackRock’s global investment expertise and Jio’s understanding of Indian consumers, the Jio BlackRock joint venture is trying to make mutual fund investing simpler, more accessible and more useful for both first time investors and experienced investors.Sid Swaminathan explains why India’s asset management market is entering a new phase. The first phase was about access, getting more Indians into mutual funds through SIPs, digital platforms and easier investing journeys. The next phase may be about outcomes, where investors look beyond basic equity exposure and start building stronger portfolios that can handle rising markets, falling markets and sideways markets.The conversation also explores how Jio BlackRock is using systematic active equity, AI driven investing, BlackRock’s Aladdin technology and digital first distribution to enter a crowded mutual fund market. Sid also discusses the Jio BlackRock PRISM SIF scheme, hybrid funds, derivatives for risk management, portfolio diversification, international investing through GIFT City and why India’s investment market could grow significantly over the next few years.CHAPTERS:(01:30) BlackRock’s India Journey(04:44) BlackRock’s Global Investment Approach(06:21) Why Diversification Matters for Investors(08:29) Why BlackRock Partnered With Jio(10:28) JioBlackRock’s Market Entry Strategy(14:48) Retail Investors and Direct Digital Growth(17:41) BlackRock’s Joint Ventures Beyond India(18:40) Why India Is a Long-Term Market(20:17) How Jio BlackRock Chose Its First Funds(23:16) How Cross-Functional Teams Build Products(24:14) GIFT City and International Investing(25:15) BlackRock’s Advantage in Global Funds(26:43) Why Global Investing Needs a Broader Approach(27:24) How AI Could Shape Markets(28:42) What Makes the Prism SIF Different(32:45) Why SIFs Sit Between Mutual Funds and PMS (33:18) How Derivatives Reduce Risk(34:26) What India Can Learn From Liquid Alts(36:33) Why India Feels More Dynamic Than Mature MarketsFor India based professionals, business leaders, financial services executives, consultants and serious investors, this episode offers a rare look at how Jio BlackRock is thinking about India, mutual funds, asset management and the future of investing.Watch the full conversation to understand whether Jio BlackRock can change how India invests, how mutual funds may evolve, and what Indian investors should know before the next phase of India’s investing journey begins.Subscribe to The Core Report for sharp conversations on business, finance, markets, investing, the Indian economy and the forces shaping India’s real economy.Can Jio BlackRock change how India invests in mutual funds? Watch Govindraj Ethiraj’s conversation with Sid Swaminathan, MD and CEO of JioBlackRock AMC, on India investing, digital investing, AI driven investing, portfolio building and the future of asset management. Discover what Jio BlackRock could mean for first time investors, experienced investors and India’s next wave of mutual fund growth.#JioBlackRock #MutualFunds #IndiaInvesting #DigitalInvesting #TheCoreReport #TheCore
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On Episode 923 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Tejashree Joshi, Head - Environmental Sustainability at Godrej Enterprises Group as well as G Chokkalingam, Founder of Equinomics Research.
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) Stories of the Day
(00:50) What Signals Are The Markets Really Looking For?
(03:46) How India Inc Revenue Grew 11% + In The Latest Quarter And What Drove It?
(06:08) India To Prepare For Peak Demand Of 300 GW Next Year, From Around 270 GW This Year
(08:16) Extended Discussion on Market Signals with G Chokkalingam
(15:26) How Are Manufacturers Responding To Extreme Climate Situations, From Heatwaves To Heavy Rainfall
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On Episode 922 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Raja Lahiri, Partner at Grant Thornton Bharat as well as Nicolas Ziv, Lead Specialist, Transport Sector Resilience at Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure (CDRI).
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) Stories of the Day
(00:50) Markets Recalculate Impact As Trump Signals End Of Truce
(05:00) The RBI Wants A Cryptocurrency Policy That Leans Towards Prohibition
(06:57) Its Pharmaceuticals And Cricket All The Way In The Mega Deals Of The Last Quarter
(14:25) The Growing Importance Of Disaster Resilience In General And The Importance Of Airports In Specific
(23:08) Deepseek Wants To Build Its Own Chip
Check out CDRI's Airport Resilience Tool:
https://cdri.world/airport-resilience-tool/
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On Episode 921 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Ajay Bagga, Veteran Market Analyst as well as Radhika Rao, Senior Economist and Executive Director at DBS Bank.
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) Stories of the Day
(00:50) Foreign Portfolio Investors Are Returning To Indian Markets, One Trade At A Time
(04:19) Nato Meet Kicks Off In Turkey
(04:55) India To Supply Missiles To Indonesia And Partner For A Port
(05:48) The Trend Shifts Within Indian Markets As Financial Stocks Lead The Pack
(20:26) How Low Oil Prices And Other Positive Macro Signals Could Help The Economy
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On Episode 920 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to C S Vigneshwar, President at the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA).
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) Stories of the Day
(00:50) All Eyes On Q1 Results To Provide The Next Booster Shot To The Markets
(03:50) The Statistical Argument For India’s Market Recovery Versus Other Emerging Markets, Starting With How Beaten Down They Are
(06:08) India’s Auto Sales Clock Record June Month Even As Dealerships Tackle Blended Fuel Controversy
(19:35) Etihad And Saudia Airlines Are Vying For New Boeing And Airbus Aircraft Slots Whose Purchases Air India May Postpone
SUBSCRIBE to How India's Economy Works with Puja Mehra
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On Episode 919 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Sanket Kulkarni, Head-Business Development (Theatrical) at Ormax Media as well as Vivek Ramji Iyer, Partner and National Leader Financial Services - Risk Advisory at Grant Thornton Bharat.
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) The Take
(04:50) Markets Set For Firmer Week Ahead As Oil And Rupee Consolidate
(06:46) Oil Markets Continue To Point To Potential Oversupply And Thus Stable Prices
(08:38) Govt Launches Fresh Defense Of E20, Ethanol Blended Fuel
(12:42) Gold Loans Are The Second Largest Retail Credit Category After Home Loans And Why Their Growth Is Encouraging And Worrying
(20:00) The Surprising Box Office Shift In May Which Saw Bollywood Films Kicked Off The Top 5
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How Paint Became India’s Next Big Manufacturing Story explores why India’s paint industry has moved from the background of business news to the centre of a new manufacturing race.In this episode of The Core Report Weekend Edition, Govindraj Ethiraj speaks with Sharad Malhotra, Managing Director of Nippon Paint India, on how paint became one of India’s most interesting industrial growth stories. For decades, the sector was seen mainly as a decorative paints business. Now, it is drawing attention from large business houses, private capital, infrastructure players and global manufacturers.India’s paint market is estimated at around ₹80,000 crore, but paint consumption per person is still far below developed markets. That gap is creating opportunity across decorative paints, industrial coatings, automotive paints, wood coatings, railways, infrastructure and specialised high-performance products.Sharad Malhotra explains what is changing inside the industry. Why are companies building more factories? Why does India need localised paint technology for heat, rain and extreme weather? And why has competition in the Indian paint market become so intense?This conversation looks at paint not just as a consumer product, but as a lens into Indian manufacturing, construction, infrastructure, chemical value chains, business strategy and India’s next decade of economic expansion.Watch this episode for a sharp, grounded conversation on how a familiar product became a serious manufacturing opportunity.Subscribe to The Core Report for conversations on business, economy, markets, policy and the companies shaping India’s future.How Paint Became India’s Next Big Manufacturing Story shows why India’s paint industry is now central to manufacturing, infrastructure, construction, industrial coatings, chemical value chains and business strategy. Watch Govindraj Ethiraj on The Core Report for sharp insight into India’s economic future.#IndianEconomy #Manufacturing #PaintIndustry #BusinessNews #TheCoreReport #TheCore
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On Episode 917 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Puneet Pal, Head - Fixed Income at PGIM India Mutual Fund as well as Sanjay Lazar, Aviation Expert.
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) Stories of the Day
(00:50) Falling Oil Prices Lift Markets Again
(04:08) How Are India’s Fixed Income Markets Responding To Rising Bond Flows?
(13:18) Indigo Launches A Lite No Cabin Baggage Fare, Will This Work In A Market Like India?
(20:08) Meta Wants To Offer Cloud Infrastructure Like AWS And Azure
(21:47) Another Deep Seek Like AI Model Is Here
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On Episode 916 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Anindya Banerjee, Senior VP and Head of Research for Currency and Commodities at Kotak Securities as well as Sohrab Bararia, Partner, Indirect Tax at Grant Thornton Bharat.
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) Stories of the Day
(00:50) Are FPIs Getting Ready To Return To Indian Markets?
(03:50) Oil Flows Could Go Into Oversupply Soon, Says Goldman Sachs
(05:38) Tiktok’s $39 Billion Data Centre Is Coming Up In Brazil
(05:57) Where And How Could The INR Land In Coming Months?
(14:05) Nine Years Of GST, The Unfinished Agenda
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On Episode 915 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Rajiv Mitra, Food and Dairy industry Expert as well as Puneet Gupta, Director, India & ASEAN Automotive Market at S&P Global Mobility.
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) Stories of the Day
(01:09) Gold Prices Are Falling Even As Stock Markets Are Muted
(01:54) India Records Driest June In 10 Years Even As June Monsoons Are At 39% Of LPA
(05:20) Deutsche Bank Exits India Retail And Wealth Business
(06:35) Can Delhi’s EV Policy Be Taken To Other Cities And States?
(13:39) Global Air Traffic Was Down 2.2% In May With Middle East Falling Nearly 25%
(14:35) The World Is Talking About Proteins, What Are The India Opportunities?
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On Episode 914 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Rahul Matthan, Founding Partner of Trilegal. We also feature bites from our recent Weekend Edition featuring Rajani Sinha of CareEdge Ratings, Somashekhar Vemuri of Crisil Ratings and Manas Majumdar of PwC.
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) Stories of the Day
(00:50) Stocks Fall Again Because Of Monsoon Concerns Even As Rains Pick Up.
(03:13) Electricity Consumption Spike Drives Up Industrial Output.
(10:43) Most NRI Deposits Into New Schemes Expected From The Gulf Region.
(14:02) Residential Sales Dropped 6% In Q2 2026 As Uncertainty Rules.
(14:58) Why India Needs A Single Destination For Its Multiple Laws And Rules.
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On Episode 913 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Neil Shah, Vice President-Research & Co- Founder at Counterpoint Research as well as Jayanth Neelakanta, Founder and CEO of Equip.
SHOW NOTES
(00:00) The Take
(04:41) Indian Markets Will Stay Cautious On Oil Price Movements
(06:46) A US Judge Ordered The Justice Department On Friday To Justify Its Decision To Drop Criminal Charges Against The Adani Group’s Gautam Adani.
(07:56) Chipflation Is Here As Companies Like Apple Announce Sharp Hikes, How Worse Can It Get?
(19:53) How AI Is Helping Hiring Decisions And What Are The Job Market Trends That It Is Throwing Up
(30:21) Australia Is Doubling Down On 6-Month Ban On Child Access To Social Platforms
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