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In a win for animal lovers, Bengaluru has rolled out a scheme to provide daily nutritious meals to ~5,000 stray dogs across the city. What’s in the meal you ask? 150 gram of chicken, 100 gram each of rice and vegetables, 10 gram of oil, and a pinch of salt and turmeric, delivering 465-750 kilocalories per serving. While we couldn’t be happier knowing Bengaluru dogs can hit the gym and thrive, as individuals who have nourished our formative years with Parle-G and Maggie, there is some mild envy as we write this. They’re all good-boys and good-girls, though, so we’ll let it slide.
Now, let’s get into the dispatch! 🚀
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Today’s reading time is 5.5 mins.
CONSUMER GOODS
India’s Grocery Bill: Changing preferences across rural and urban consumers
Image credits: Pexels
What’s happening? India’s FMCG market is perhaps slowly starting to paint a contrast between urban and rural consumers with factors such inflation, digital accessibility and rise of quick commerce driving the evolution. A market analysis by Times Group reveals that urban shoppers are starting to favour unbranded products, while rural consumers are doubling down on trusted, legacy brands.
Urban evolution: Inflation and increased online visibility / accessibility is playing a major role in driving consumers towards unbranded items in everyday categories like rice, flour, spices, oils, and household cleaners. Unbranded categories experienced a 8.4% volume growth from urban areas in FY25, significantly surpassing rural unbranded growth at 2.3%. This indicates a clear shift, with consumers becoming more "brand agnostic”. Emergence of online product discovery has also fuelled the rise of digital-first brands that are skipping traditional distribution channels and going D2C.
Rural foundation: Though they may fret about growth from cities, large FMCGs are going from strength to strength in rural areas. Brands like Nestlé, Dabur, HUL, and ITC are continuing to gain rural market share on the back of distribution strength and deep penetration. Legacy firms have grown volumes by 5.1% in rural areas. Experts are saying that consumers across all income segments are exhibiting a marked propensity towards spending on premium, high-quality products even at a high price.
Response from the big man: Volume growth for the large 22 FMCG companies was at a dismal ~2% in FY25 in urban areas. This has prompted companies to apply a dual strategy - one to address the digital, quick commerce urban buyers and another for the brand loyal rural consumer.
AIR INDIA CRASH TRAGEDY
AI Crash Probe: Reactions from the report
Image credits: PTI
The preliminary report from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on the June 12 Air India AI-171 crash has sparked intense debate, but many crucial questions remain unanswered.
Key Highlights
Engine Shutoff: Both engines lost power soon after take-off with the fuel switches move to CUTOFF; cockpit recordings capture one pilot questioning the action.
Controversy & Politics: The timing and content of the report have led to allegations of a cover-up and undue corporate influence, with opposition leaders like TMC MP Saket Gokhale and RJD leader Manoj Jha voicing strong opinion. Union Minister K. Rammohan Naidu has urged patience, deferring full comment until the final report is release while also commending the AAIB.
Captains Speaking: The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA-I) has demanded observer status in the investigation to ensure transparency and accountability, raising concerns about the report's "tone" and demanding a fact-based probe
FAA Advisory: ALPA-I highlighted a 2018 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advisory warning about risks with the fuel control switch lock on certain Boeing models, including the 787-8. This was issued after reports showed some switches lacked a functioning lock, increasing the chance of accidental activation.
Notably, the AAIB’s preliminary report does not attribute fault or establish cause, stressing that further technical examinations and evidence review are still underway before any accountability is established.
BUSINESS INDIA
DHANDA HAI YEH!
UPI’s making India ‘cashless’ : IMF says UPI's rapid growth to 18 billion monthly transactions is slashing cash usage in India. UPI’s interoperability makes it a leading tech in faster, seamless digital payments
PSBs lead home loans: Public Sector Banks now lead new home loans, surging to 43% market share in FY25, up from 34% in FY22. They've surpassed private lenders, driven by competitive rates and government initiatives - showcasing strong credit growth.
New banks on the horizon? The Indian government is planning to give out new bank licenses for the first time since 2014. The aim is to create larger, stronger banks to support India’s ambitious economic growth plans by 2047.
iPhone 17 production in India: Foxconn's Chennai plant has started importing iPhone 17 components for early trial production, ahead of the phone’s anticipated launch in September. This strategic move aims to boost Apple's manufacturing in India, localizing supply chains and reducing reliance on China.
Shiprocket's AI Leap: Ecommerce enablement platform Shiprocket has launched Shunya.ai, a multimodal AI engine for Indian MSMEs and D2C businesses. Supporting 9+ languages for voice, text, and image, this India-built platform aims to save time/costs in e-commerce workflows.
India-EFTA Deal Ready: Switzerland has green-lit the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) trade pact, set for an October rollout. This huge deal includes EFTA's $100 billion investment in India over 15 years, aiming to create one million jobs and boost trade.
India’s rare earth push: Amid the global rare earth metal crisis, West Bengal is gearing up for rare earth mining in Purulia. GSI's G2 exploration targets a "basket" of 14-17 rare earth minerals, aiming for an auction within a year. This vital move will boost India's tech autonomy and e-mobility goals.
WORLD: BUSINESS AND GEOPOLITICS 🌍
KYA CHAL RAHA HAI?
Myanmar monastery attack: At least 23 people, including four children, were killed and 30 others injured after an airstrike by Myanmar’s military targeted a Buddhist monastery in Lin Ta Lu village. The incident occurred amid continued conflict following the military coup in 2021.
US Sanctions Cuba: Four years since major protests, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and other top officials for their role in repressing dissent and in “brutality towards Cuban people”. Also sanctioned was Havana’s new "Torre K" hotel, targeted for channeling US dollars into regime funding.
Ketchup Breakup: Kraft Heinz, the American multinational, is set to split into two companies—one focused on a $20 billion grocery business spin-off, and the other on sauces and spreads. The move aims to boost shareholder value amid weak demand.
US resumes Ukraine aid: The US has resumed military aid to Ukraine, including its Patriot air defence systems, after a brief halt. Trump announced a deal to deliver Patriot air defence systems to Kyiv amid surging Russian aerial attacks. Nations in NATO are contributing to the cost of the systems.
Float like a butterfly…: China set a new world-record in high-speed rail, successfully testing its Maglev train reaching speeds of 650 km/h in seven seconds. This engineering marvel levitates in the air to eliminate friction, promising future speeds of 800 km/h, potentially outpacing an airplane.
Tariff drama continues: President Trump announced a 30% tariff on goods from the EU and Mexico, starting August 1. The move targets major trade partners and could make European and Mexican products more expensive in the US.
Aur Batao: News from across India 📰
Indian forts go global: Twelve historic forts including 11 in Maharashtra and one in Tamil Nadu just earned UNESCO World Heritage status for their rich history and architecture.
Norman Borlaug’s institute seeks India’s help: The institute of the agriculture scientist Norman Borlaug (who helped usher India's green revolution six decades ago) - CIMMYT - is seeking India's financial support. It is facing a financial crunch since US President Donald Trump shut down USAID. The institute is asking the government to fund vital maize and wheat breeding research which is crucial for global food security.
Rafale X Israeli Decoy: India is fast-tracking Israel's X-Guard decoy system for Rafale jets to boost survivability. This advanced electronic warfare tech, proven in Operation Sindoor, offers crucial protection.
Bihar’s greenlight plan: Bihar is offering massive incentives to private sector investors to facilitate renewable energy adoption in the state. The new policy offers 100% electricity duty waiver for 15 years, plus 25 years of long-term open access and free transmission/wheeling.
Sports and Entertainment
Pasta, Pizza, and Powerplay?: Italy has made history, qualifying for their first-ever ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. They secured their spot after a tense European Qualifier and take a spot alongside the Netherlands.
Root breaks records: English cricketer Joe Root smashed his 37th Test hundred at Lord's against India, passing Rahul Dravid and equalling Steve Smith's record of 11 tons against India.
Jota's enduring legacy: Liverpool retired Diogo Jota's number 20 jersey after his tragic death last week in a car accident. Liverpool honoured his impactful career of 65 goals in 182 games.
ISL's uncertain future: The ISL 2025-26 season is paused as Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) informed clubs and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) about contractual uncertainties beyond December 2025. This puts the league's future in limbo, a big concern for Indian football.
Vantika’s perfect square: Indian Chess International Master Vantika Agrawal stunned former champion Anna Ushenina 4.5-3.5 in a thrilling FIDE Women's World Cup tie-breaker, earning her spot in Round 3.
Anurag slams Netflix: Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap took a stab at Netflix and its CEO, Ted Sarandos, accusing them of misunderstanding India. He criticised the streaming giant for prioritising subscriptions over quality, offering "bad television", and lacking in originality due to misguidance by local leadership.
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