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`India on the verge of capex recovery’

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 India is on the verge of a new capital expenditure cycle recovery with the central government spending big on infrastructure, said Prabhudas Lilladhar, a financial services player.

In its latest report, Prabhudas Lilladher said there will be a big capex cycle recovery in India in the coming few years as the private sector capex is showing signs of revival.

Even though the Central government is spending big on infrastructure, there has not been industry led capex cycle, the report added.

According to Prabhudas Lilladher, the FY23 budget has increased the capex plans of the Centre by 10.6 per cent to Rs 12.2 trillion.

The National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) worth Rs 11,000 billion and resolve to provide amenities like roads, drinking water and housing will keep the Centre’s capex high.

The productivity linked incentive (PLI) worth Rs 2,000 billion across 14 sectors and benefits from China plus one in Specialty chemicals, Textiles and others will revive capex, the report added.

Similarly capex by the steel, cement, textiles, oil and gas and other sectors will push the capex higher.

According to the report, a strong demand in 2Q of the current fiscal is expected given early Diwali and sustained pent upAdemand from urban middle class in discretionary segments.

3Q will benefit from improvement in margins given that cost pressures are abating as most Agri commodities (led by Palm Oil) have corrected to March levels and crude has softened from recent highs by 30-40 per cent.

In addition, prices of steel, aluminium, copper and others have seen corrections of 52 per cent, 38 per cent and 25 per cent from the peak.

Global supply chain seems to be in better shape and semiconductor shortage appears to be ebbing now.

“We expect strong growth in corporate profitability in 2Q and 3Q which would support markets. Any revival of rural demand would be an icing on the cake,” Prabhudas Lilladher report notes.

However, the rural demand has failed to pick up so far despite strong prices as higher costs for inputs, deficient rains in large states and a volatile environment is impacting the sentiments.

Decline in acreage in key crops like paddy and oilseeds can impact food inflation in coming quarters.

Festival demand from urban middle class is expected to remain strong, which will enable good 2Q and 3Q will show benefits of correction in commodities.

Business

JSW MG Motor India Unveils Cyberster Roadster & M9 Limousine At Bharat Mobility Expo 2025

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New Delhi: MG Motor India has made a bold statement at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 with the launch of two groundbreaking electric vehicles—the MG Cyberster, India’s first all-electric roadster, and the MG M9, India’s first electric three-row presidential limousine.

These models, introduced under the new luxury brand channel, MG Select, highlight the company’s vision of bringing intelligent, sustainable, and customer-focused mobility solutions to India.

MG Cyberster: The All-Electric Roadster of the Future

The MG Cyberster takes luxury and performance to new heights as India’s first electric roadster. It features India’s first-ever electric scissor doors, opening and closing in just five seconds via a single-touch button. The built-in Dual Radar sensors ensure safety while opening the doors, while an anti-pinch feature prevents harm when closing.

Under the hood, the Cyberster delivers blistering acceleration, going from 0 to 100 kmph in just 3.2 seconds. The sleek, aerodynamic design is complemented by the industry’s slimmest 77 kWh battery pack, ensuring the vehicle remains both powerful and efficient, setting a new standard for modern roadsters.

MG M9: The Ultimate Electric Limousine

The MG M9 takes luxury to the next level with India’s first electric three-row presidential limousine. Designed for ultimate comfort, it features a touchscreen armrest for controlling reclining ottoman seats with 8 massage modes and 3-zone climate control.

The spacious cabin can accommodate seven passengers and offers features like a panoramic sunroof, front-opening skylight, and advanced audio systems for a theatre-like experience. With an electric-powered design, the MG M9 redefines the concept of luxury on wheels, offering unparalleled comfort and performance for discerning customers.

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Internet users to surpass 900 million in India this year, AI a game changer

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New Delhi, Jan 16: Driven by the growing use of Indic languages for digital content, the internet user base in India is set to surpass 900 million by 2025, driven by the growing use of Indic languages for digital content, a report showed on Thursday.

The number of active internet users in India reached 886 million in 2024, marking a robust 8 per cent year-on-year growth. Rural India, with 488 million users, leads this growth and now accounts for 55 per cent of the total internet population, according to the report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Kantar.

Nearly all internet users (98 per cent) accessed content in Indic languages, with Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam emerging as the most popular due to their extensive availability.

Over half (57 per cent) of urban internet users prefer consuming content in regional languages, underscoring the growing demand for local language content across platforms, according to the report.

AI has emerged as a significant game changer over the past year. Nine out of 10 internet users have interacted with apps featuring embedded AI capabilities.

“The widespread acceptance and enthusiasm surrounding AI should encourage digital companies to introduce more next-generation AI features in India,” Biswapriya Bhattacharya, Director, B2B and Technology, Kantar Insights–South Asia, said.

The digital gender gap in India is steadily narrowing, with 47 per cent of all internet users in the country being women — so far the highest.

Female internet users now form a significant portion of shared device users in rural India at 58 per cent. This marks substantial progress in making digital access more inclusive and equitable over the years, the report noted.

Rural India dominates online engagement for top activities, including OTT video and music streaming, online communication, and social media usage, outpacing urban users in these categories.

Urban India leads in the adoption of non-traditional devices such as smart TVs and smart speakers, which have grown by 54 per cent between 2023 and 2024.

Concurrently, mobile devices remain the primary means of accessing the internet across both urban and rural demographics, said the report.

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Infamous Hindenburg, which targeted Adani Group, faced intense scrutiny from Indian regulators

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New Delhi, Jan 16: Infamous short-selling firm Hindenburg Research, which is now being disbanded as per an open letter from its founder Nate Anderson, has been under the radar of Indian regulators like the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) over its report against the Adani Group, which was dismissed by the Supreme Court.

The Adani Group always vehemently rejected allegations by Hindenburg Research as “malicious, mischievous and manipulative selections of publicly available information” to arrive at “pre-determined conclusions for personal profiteering with wanton disregard for facts and the law”.

“For a discredited short-seller under the scanner for several violations of Indian securities laws, Hindenburg’s allegations are no more than red herrings thrown by a desperate entity,” according to the Group.

The SEBI last year issued a show-cause notice to Hindenburg Research, Nate Anderson and the entities of Mauritius-based foreign portfolio investor Mark Kingdon for trading violations in the scrip of Adani Enterprises Ltd leading up to Hindenburg Report.

The regulator alleged that Hindenburg and Anderson violated regulations related to fraudulent and unfair trade practices and the code of conduct for research analysts.

According to the show cause notice, SEBI alleged that prior to the report release, short-selling activity was witnessed in the futures of Adani Enterprises and after the report the share lost 59 per cent between January 24, 2023 and February 22, 2023.

The SEBI investigation revealed that K-India Opportunities Fund – Class F opened a trading account and started trading in the scrip of Adani Enterprises before the release of the report. The FPI then squared off the positions in February making a profit of $22.25 million or Rs 183.24 crore.

Hindenburg continued to defend its January 2023 report. The Adani Group denied allegations levelled by the short seller.

The Supreme Court in July last year dismissed a review petition that was filed against its January 3 judgement in the Adani Group-Hindenburg Research case, wherein the court reposed confidence in SEBI’s regulatory powers and ruled that petitioners could not provide enough material to transfer the probe to a special investigation team.

In January last year, the Supreme Court refused to form any SIT or group of experts to conduct an investigation into the Adani-Hindenburg controversy, saying that the media and third-party reports were not conclusive proof.

“SEBI should take its investigation to its logical conclusion in accordance with law. The facts of this case do not warrant a transfer of investigation from SEBI,” held a bench presided over by then CJI, D.Y. Chandrachud.

Despite continuous attacks from Hindenburg Research and other US-based entities in the past, the market cap of the Adani Group has increased to nearly Rs 12.80 lakh crore.

Every attack made the Group even stronger, and every obstacle became a stepping stone for a more resilient conglomerate. In the recent past, there have been many positive developments about Adani Group’s companies that boosted investors’ confidence.

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