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Good Morning 🇮🇳
If you thought clearing the US visa interview was the final stress, think again. Uncle Sam has confirmed that getting a US visa is not the end of the scrutiny. They’re now heavily doom-scrolling your Insta and LinkedIn profiles even after your visa is granted. They want your socials public, even more than your door-ke-rishtedaar during shaadi season. You can’t hide your profiles either, so maybe hold off on posting that spicy meme in your drafts until after your trip.
Now, let’s get into the dispatch! 🚀
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Today’s reading time is 5.5 mins.
MARKETS 🔔🐂🐻
As of Indian market close on July 14
The Indian stock market is on a downtrend for four consecutive sessions. On July 14, the Sensex and Nifty50 declined significantly, due to global trade jitters, foreign capital outflow and weak technical indicators.
India-US trade talks
US entry could unsettle Indian dairy
Image credits: IBEF
A team of Indian delegates is currently in Washington D.C. to finalise an interim trade deal. Donald Trump’s recent flurry of letters has threatened high tariffs for over 20 countries. However, India hasn’t been included in the list and could now be looking to finalise an interim deal before the August 1 deadline.
Key sectors such as agriculture and automobile have emerged as bones of contention between both nations while finalising a trade agreement. Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy, contributing 16% to the overall GDP and employing more than half the population. The dairy sector, an integral part of agriculture, could face annual losses of Rs 1.03 lakh crore if opened to US imports, according to a new SBI report.
Ground Reality
The dairy sector contributes 2.5-3% to gross value added (GVA), amounting to Rs 7.5-9 lakh crores, and provides direct employment to nearly 8 crore people. US entry could slash milk prices by 15% and increase India’s milk imports by approximately 25 million tonnes annually. The SBI report also highlights that the US dairy sector is heavily subsidised, intensifying the risk to Indian farmers.
On the upside, it also suggests that stronger trade ties could expand India’s high-value agricultural exports products from $1 billion to $3 billion based on US demand. Lifting non-tariff barriers could further boost exports of products like fruits and generic medicines. Additional benefits might include easier visa rules, increased US investment in cold storage and precision farming, and reduced costs for agricultural inputs.
While the lustre of profits is undeniable, the challenge now lies in striking a balance—one that fosters global trade ties without undercutting rural India’s economic backbone.
Cybercrime 🕵️♂️💻
Cross-Border cons: India’s cybercrime headache
Image credits: Pexels
Cybercrime has become a major global issue, with costs projected to reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. India has borne a significant share of this burden. According to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), more than half the Rs 7,000 crore lost to online scams in 2025 have come from networks operating in Southeast Asian nations, including Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. It is estimated that India loses around Rs 1,000 crores per month to such activities. Since the pandemic, cyberattacks have doubled worldwide, and Indian businesses, government bodies, and startups faced over 5 billion attacks in 2023 alone.
Major types of fraud
The probe has revealed three major types of cybercrime fraud operating from these Southeast Asian nations: stock trading/investment scams, digital arrest, and task-based or investment-based scams.
Government’s action
In light of these events, senior officials from Cambodia are set to meet with the Indian government in Delhi to discuss a plan of action. Intelligence inputs and testimonials from rescued individuals have helped uncover 45 scam compounds in Cambodia. Additionally, the Government of India (GOI) has been cracking down on agents who recruit unknowing Indians to work in these scam centres.
As India takes steps to disrupt these Southeast Asian scam networks, it must also prioritise public awareness, stricter regulations, and support for victims. In this digital battlefield, prevention is just as critical as punishment.
BUSINESS: DHANDA HAI YEH! 📈📊
NSE's global climb: India’s National Stock Exchange (NSE) ranked fourth globally for IPO fundraising in the first half of 2025, raising $5.51 billion and capturing 8.9% of the global total.
Russia seeks Indian talent: Russia plans to bring in 1 million skilled workers from India by year-end to address its severe labour shortages, especially in industrial sectors. According to RBC news agency, the Russian Ministry of Labour predicts a workforce shortage of 3.1 million people by 2030.
UPI overtakes VISA, makes history: India’s Unified Payment Interface (UPI) has surpassed VISA, recording over 650 million daily transactions as of June 2025—the highest daily transaction count globally.
Jane Street's comeback: Jane Street deposited ₹4,843.5 crore into a SEBI escrow account to comply with a directive from the SEBI. This allows the US firm to resume trading in India, though it is barred from using previously flagged manipulative strategies.
Small cities’ tech boom: Tier-II and tier-III cities in India are seeing a surge in IT hiring, with over 50% hiring growth in the first half of 2025, outperforming the metro areas. This signals a significant shift, fuelled by better infrastructure and the rise of remote work.
Digital tax transformation: India’s digital tax system overhaul has led to an astounding 474% surge in tax refunds, reaching ₹4.76 lakh crore by FY25. Refund processing times have also plummeted from 93 days in 2013 to just 17 days in 2024.
India's inflation cools down: India's retail inflation (CPI) fell to a six-year low of 2.1% in June 2025, down from 2.82% in May, driven by declining food and fuel prices. Inflation now sits well below RBI's 4% target.
WORLD: KYA CHAL RAHA HAI? 🌏
Record defence drills: The largest-ever military exercise, Talisman Sabre, involving 35,000 personnel from 19 nations, has kicked off in Australia and Papua New Guinea. The drills are expected to attract the attention of Chinese spy ships. Meanwhile, French President Macron has announced plans to double Frances’s defence spending to €64 billion by 2027.
US missiles for Ukraine: Donald Trump confirmed that the US will send Patriot missiles to Ukraine, with the cost to be reimbursed by the EU. This follows a July 14th visit to Kyiv by US envoy Keith Kellogg for key talks.
China’s export surge: China's exports jumped 5.8% in June as companies raced to fill orders before Donald Trump's tariff deadline. This provided a temporary economic boost amid ongoing global trade war uncertainties. However, Chinese exports to the US were still down 16% year-on-year.
Pakistan peace protests: Thousands rallied in Bajaur, Pakistan, on Sunday to protest against rising lawlessness and targeted killings, following the killing of Awami National Party leader Maulana Khan Zeb on Thursday. People are demanding government action to restore peace.
Bhutan's Bitcoin move: Bhutan has transferred 650 bitcoins, valued at $74 million, to the Binance crypto exchange platform over the last two weeks, as the cryptocurrency rallies to new heights.
Aur Batao: News from across India 📰
India’s cleanest cities in 2024: According to the Swachhta survey 2024, Ahmedabad has been named India’s cleanest city, with Bhopal securing second place. Lucknow showed the most notable improvement, jumping a whooping 41 places going from 44 to 3 this year. President Murmu is set to felicitate these cities on July 17.
Captain Shukla heads home: After 18 days aboard the ISS, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and his Ax-4 crewmates undocked via SpaceX Dragon on July 14. The splashdown off California is expected at 3 p.m. IST on July 15, followed by a post-landing, week-long rehab.
NEET-PG exam under scrutiny: The Supreme Court will hear pleas regarding the NEET-PG examination process on August 3. Petitioners want the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to release answer keys, question papers, and allow re-evaluation for discrepancies, alleging “lack of transparency”, asserting that the current opaque system hurts students’ rights and trust in the exam.
Air India investigation update: Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said all Boeing 787s in their fleet were inspected after last month’s crash, with no mechanical or maintenance issues found. Citing the preliminary report, he urged staff not to jump to conclusions and confirmed that Air India is fully cooperating with authorities for a thorough probe.
Sports and Entertainment
Siraj fined for misconduct: Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj was fined 15% of his match fee and received one demerit point for his aggressive send-off to Ben Duckett during the Lord's Test, violating the ICC Code of Conduct.
Gill's New Record: Despite a disappointing outing in the Lord's test, Indian captain, Shubman Gill broke Rahul Dravid's 23-year-old record for most runs by an Indian in a Test series in England, notching up 607 runs so far.
Historic frisbee win: Chennai's FlyWild Ultimate Frisbee team made history by winning the TRIO Invitational in Malaysia, becoming the first Indian club to clinch an international tournament title.
Markram bags ICC award: South Africa’s Aiden Markram is ICC Men's Player of the Month for June 2025! He shone with 136 runs and two crucial wickets in the World Test Championship Final, helping South Africa win their first ICC trophy in 27 years.
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