Newsletter Edition: June 22, 2025

Good Morning India 🇮🇳 

Delhi is finally deploying automatic misting systems across the state to fight air pollution, starting with Lodhi Road, Shanti Path, Africa Avenue and Dwarka (find the imposter?). Smart move, let’s just hope the mist doesn’t start clogging the streets and making impromtu swimming pools.

Now, let’s get into the dispatch! 🚀 

Real Estate 🏡
Booming Fractional Real Estate: What’s the hype?

What’s the buzz?  
India's fractional real estate market is heating up, drawing in retail investors, high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), and non-resident Indians (NRIs). This isn’t a small trend! It's a rapidly expanding segment allowing folks to own tiny bits of expensive properties, especially commercial ones, without needing an enormous sum of money. Estimates suggest market was ~₹4,000 crores two years ago, but can exceed ₹41,500 crore in the next five years, growing at 30-40% annually.

Why is it happening?  
Because it’s too expensive to actually own a WHOLE place … no just kidding (or not). Digital platforms are making it easier to search and invest in premium commercial properties with smaller capital. Moreover, there are attractive rental yields and professional asset management, taking the hassle out of property ownership.

Why it matters?
It matters because it’s a new way of investing in traditional real estate in a more accessible way. It means you don’t need millions to invest in high-value assets. While for NRIs, India's strong rental yields and potential for capital appreciation are big draws. 

The hotspots
Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Maharashtra are leading the way in fractional real estate activity. Tier-1 cities and warehousing hubs in these regions have become the focal points. Investors are increasingly looking for more commercial property options in cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, and Pune.

Long term: While the potential is massive, growth depends on the regulatory environment evolving to support it. As a relatively new concept in India, clarity in regulations will be key to boosting investor confidence and ensuring long-term stability and liquidity. 

Economy 📈🇮🇳
Unemployment Rises, Exports Fall — Is India’s Economy Catching Its Breath?

A Roof, a Meal, a Future
Employment is more than just a metric, it’s the lifeline of any functioning society. It helps millions afford shelter, daily necessities, and the occasional dream. But even in an age overflowing with resources, sustainable employment remains a persistent challenge.

According to the government’s Current Weekly Status (CWS) data, India’s unemployment rate rose to 5.6% in May 2025, up from 5.1% in April. Youth joblessness is particularly concerning in rural areas, unemployment among those aged 15–29 rose to 13.7%, and in urban India, it climbed to 17.9%. Add to that a dip in Labour Force Participation, now at 54.8% and there’s cause for worry.

Some possible contributors

• Skill Mismatch: Nearly half the Indian workforce lacks skills aligned with their job roles. Despite rising education costs, graduates are not job-ready. Add AI to the mix, and many entry-level roles are vanishing due to the ease with which they can be automated.

• Layoffs & Slow Job Creation: Private sector investment remains sluggish, and over 61,000 tech jobs have been cut globally in 2025 alone. The domestic market hasn’t been immune to this downturn.

• Signs from the Economy
  India’s goods exports shrank 2.17% YoY in May to $38.73 billion, weighed down by weaker demand for petroleum, engineering goods, and jewellery. Imports from China, meanwhile, surged 21.6% to $10.31 billion.

These aren’t just statistics, they’re stories of delayed dreams, and mounting pressure. For an aspiring superpower, creating meaningful, sustainable jobs is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Hopefully, we see this stat changing in the coming time.

BUSINESS INDIA
DHANDA HAI YEH!

• Tariff hits Jaguar-Land Rover: Tata-owned JLR faces a $2.1 billion US tariff hit due to trade measures, with Tata aiming to mitigate this impact to ~$800 million. The chairman confirmed China's rare earth magnet restrictions won't immediately impact production for EV motors. 

• HPCL plans to go green: Indian state fuel retailer HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd) is investing $231 million to build 24 biogas plants in India over 2-3 years. With this initiative, they aim to cut carbon emissions and achieve the 2070 net-zero target.  

• Mounjaro's Triumph in India: The American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly's blockbuster weight loss drug Mounjaro is a success in India. The company reported a positive response amid increasing demand. They have sold over 81,570 units in India, totalling ₹24 crores.  

• NABARD's Green Push: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is set to lend approximately ₹10,000 crore this year as part of its Green Lending Facility. This investment aims to boost sustainable rural infrastructure and support India's climate-conscious financing.  

• MakeMyTrip’s Big Move: MakeMyTrip raised $3.1 billion to buy back Class B shares from China’s Trip Group. This includes $1.66 billion from new shares and convertible notes, making it the largest capital infusion in any new-age tech co since Paytm’s $2.5 billion IPO in 2021.  

WORLD: BUSINESS AND GEOPOLITICS 🌍
KYA CHAL RAHA HAI?

• A federal court let Donald Trump retain control of California’s National Guard after deploying 4,000 troops during the LA protests. Meanwhile, legal battles continue, as the case becomes a flashpoint for federal vs. state power. 

• Bangladesh secures $1.5 billion for reforms: Asia Development Bank(ADB) approved $900 million for banking reforms and climate resilience. Additionally, the World Bank cleared $640 million for projects to enhance gas supply and cut air pollution. 

• Judge halts Trump move on Harvard visas: In a big win for incoming international students and Harvard’s bank balance - a federal judge ruled Trump’s attempt to revoke Harvard’s right to host 7,000 international students as unlawful. The clash followed Harvard’s refusal to comply with federal demands, costing it $2.6B in research funding

• Russia, Ukraine swap more prisoners: In a rare sign of progress, Russia and Ukraine exchanged more Prisoners of War (POWs) and bodies, twice in two days, under renewed Istanbul-led peace talks. According to Ukraining President Zelenskiy, many Ukrainian soldiers had been held for over 2 years.

• Iran slams peace proposals as war with Israel rages: Over 430 killed, 3500 injured in Iran, 24 killed in Israel and hundreds injured as strikes continued. Tehran rejected EU nuclear proposals as “unrealistic” and vowed no talks under bombardment. Israel says it killed two top Iranian commanders as global powers push for de-escalation. 

Aur Batao: News from across India 📰

• Karnataka Drafts Law After Stampede Tragedy: After 11 fans tragically died in a stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium, Karnataka is drafting a law to hold event organisers accountable with ₹5 lakh fines, 3-year jail terms, or property auction if they refuse to compensate victims.

• Western Railway will install AI-powered cameras on 978 engines, 810 electric, 168 diesel engines by March 2026, at ₹100 crore cost. With 6 cameras per engine, they’ll monitor track conditions, crossings, and incidents to boost safety and accident investigations. 

• Flash Flood affects 50,000 in Odisha: Over 50,000 people across 17 panchayats in Odisha’s Balasore district are facing the impact of sudden flooding after heavy rain upstream in Jharkhand. Relief teams are on the ground, as officials urge those in low-lying areas to stay alert. 

• DGCA Flags Air India: DGCA warned Air India over serious pilot scheduling violations on London flights and ordered removal of three officials. With 12 safety breaches last year, the airline faces growing scrutiny. 

Sports and Entertainment

• Golden Boy to Diamond Boy: Neeraj Chopra clinched his first Diamond League victory in two years at Paris, throwing 88.16m. He beats Germany’s Julian Weber with his impressive throw in Paris.  

• Rishabh Pant smashes MSD’s record: With a sublime 134-run knock in the ongoing test match against England, Pant scored his 7th century, surpassing MS Dhoni to become the Indian wicketkeeper batter with the most international tons.

• India’s Real Dangal: Indian women wrestlers dominated the U23 Asian Championship by winning a medal in each of the 10 categories. This includes four golds by Priyanshi, Reena, Shrishti, and Priya.  

• Liverpool's Record Signing: Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz for a club record £116 million from Bayer Leverkusen. The 22-year-old playmaker joined on a five-year deal. The Reds have further strengthened their squad with the arrivals of Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez this window.

• The Indian Women’s Hockey team slumped to a fifth consecutive defeat after losing 1-5 against hosts Belgium in their latest FIH Hockey Pro League encounter at Antwerp on Saturday. 

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