All you need to know about business, economy and finance before you start your day
Good morning and happy independence day 🎉🇮🇳🎉🇮🇳! Trump’s tariffs are starting to feel less like economic policy and more like mood swings… and now, if his Alaska meeting with Putin flops, India gets to foot the bill. Yes, we know, America’s long called the shots but honestly, look closely: the world’s losing interest in chasing its approval stamps. We didn’t start the drama — we just buy our oil, run your Fortune 500s, binge your Netlflix, and amidst all this, somehow also get blamed for “fuelling the war machine.” Some leaders run their own countries; others just can’t resist playing global referee.
Now, let’s get into the Dispatch! 🚀
Today’s reading time is 6 mins.
Markets 🔔🐂🐻
As of the Indian Market close on Aug 14th
The Indian stock market closed at a higher note on Thursday, breaking a six-week losing run due to trade tensions. The upward trend is led by gains in pharma and IT companies following the extension of the US-China tariff truce and softer US inflation data.
Climate & Environment
Storm in Assam Teacup
Image credits: Mint
Assam is the world’s largest tea-growing region, producing over 50% of India’s total tea output and about one-sixth of global supply. Its rolling estates, nourished by the Brahmaputra’s rich alluvial soil and heavy monsoon rains, yield the malty, full-bodied flavour that has made Assam Tea a global brand. The industry directly employs over 1.2 million people in Assam, supports more than 3 million dependents, and remains a vital economic backbone for the state. India itself ranks as the world’s second-largest tea producer, with annual output of roughly 1.38 billion kg (FY 2023–24) and more than 80% consumed domestically. Yet behind the lush green hills and iconic branding lies a sector facing mounting economic, environmental, and social strain.
Small Tea Growers (STGs) at the Core: In Assam, nearly 48% of the state’s tea comes from more than 122,000 STGs. While their role is indispensable, they struggle with low bargaining power, limited access to finance, and dependence on intermediaries who distort prices. India’s tea industry is now facing challenges on multiple fronts:
Climate & Environmental Stress: The UN warns that up to 30% of global tea-growing areas could be unsuitable by 2050. Erratic rainfall, heat waves of 35–40°C, and shifting seasons are reducing yields and diminishing flavour quality. Poorly resourced gardens also struggle to adopt sustainable farming practices such as mulching or organic pest control.
Economic Pressures: Domestic consumption has not kept pace with rising output, creating a surplus of around 100 million kg annually. Stagnant prices and rising costs- wages, inputs, housing, and healthcare - are squeezing margins. Adding to the strain, corporate giants such as McLeod Russel and the Tata Group have exited or scaled down plantations.
Labour Realities: Around 70% of tea pluckers are women, yet gender pay gaps reach up to 50%. Many workers earn only ₹250/day, well below the recommended living wage of ₹600+. Wildlife threats are also on the rise. As forests shrink, big cats are increasingly wandering into plantations, sometimes putting workers at risk.
Market Shifts: Some positives come via exports: in Jan–Aug 2024, CTC tea exports surged from 62 million kg to 87 million kg, driven by demand from Russia, the UAE, and the USA. Orthodox tea demand has remained steady due to reduced Sri Lankan output. Meanwhile, global demand for green, herbal, and organic teas is slowly reshaping market opportunities.
Looking Ahead: Assam’s tea sector sits at a crossroads, buffeted by climate change, labour unrest, market volatility, and structural inequities. Without coordinated action on sustainable pricing, climate adaptation, worker welfare, and value addition, the future of Assam’s tea is at great risk.
Lifestyle & Work
Welcome to the World of Digital Nomads
Image credits: Times Now
They are a new tribe of professionals who travel across India, set up base in a location for weeks or months, and earn their daily dal-roti from faraway clients or companies. After a short break at home, they pack their laptops again and head to the next destination. Just a decade ago, this would have been unimaginable. Now, even governments are stepping in. Last month, Yakten in Sikkim was declared India’s first “digital nomad village.” Digital Nomads differ from traditional remote workers, who usually stick to their homes or travel infrequently. This community works while constantly moving, discovering new cultures, cuisines, and, sometimes, even love.
The movement gained momentum during the Covid-19 pandemic. With offices closed, employees learned to work from home. What began as a necessity sparked a cultural shift. Once they tasted the “workation” lifestyle, there was no going back. Today, India is home to an estimated 1.7 million digital nomads, according to the 2025 State of Digital Nomads report by Nomad List.
Professions and Companies in India Are Becoming Nomad-Tolerant: For those eager to work on the road, much depends on the employer. Global firms with remote-first cultures often encourage it. Some Indian startups use location flexibility to attract talent. However, many traditional companies still expect employees to be physically present, meaning some nomads operate in a grey zone.
That is the paradox of this lifestyle: it thrives on impermanence. What endures is not a location but the belief that work need not be tied to a cubicle or commute. The Digital Nomads are here, and India’s towns and villages are opening their doors to them.
Business India: Dhanda Hai Yeh!
Image credits: FT
BMW says pricier rides ahead: BMW India is hiking car prices by up to 3% from September 1, 2025. The company blames rising costs from currency fluctuations and supply chain issues for its third price increase this year.
Delivery giants grilled: Top executives at FedEx, UPS, and DHL are in the hot seat. India's competition watchdog is letting book publishers cross-examine them over price-fixing allegations, a rare move that reopens a case previously dismissed for lack of evidence.
Gig-work gridlock: Bengaluru’s bike taxi drivers are demanding legal recognition after a state-wide ban left them jobless. Citing threats to their livelihoods, they are pushing the government to regulate their services instead of a complete shutdown.
Trade deficit deepens: India's trade deficit ballooned to $27.35 billion in July, a sharp jump from $18.78 billion in June. The eight-month high was driven by imports surging to $64.59 billion, far outpacing exports and stirring economic concerns.
World 🌏
Trump’s Pakistan Pivot
Image credits: The Diplomat
US President Donald Trump’s growing warmth towards Pakistan is raising eyebrows in New Delhi. Analysts suggest the strategy blends trade, energy, rare earth minerals, and military cooperation, with Pakistan’s army playing a central role. On Thursday, the United States extended Independence Day greetings to Pakistan and “appreciated” its engagement in counterterrorism and trade. The message came just months after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, J&K, killed 26 - which India blamed on Pakistan-based militants.
Adding to the momentum, US-based credit rating agency Moody’s upgraded Pakistan’s credit rating from Caa2 to Caa1 with a “stable” outlook, citing improved external finances and steady progress under a $7 billion IMF Extended Fund Facility approved in September 2024.
Oil and Energy Deals: Later this year, Pakistan will receive its first-ever shipment of US crude following a trade deal personally announced by Trump. He pledged US support to develop Pakistan’s “massive oil reserves.” The deal came after April discussions, when Trump floated a 29% tariff on Pakistani imports.
A Crypto Connection: In April, just five days after the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan signed a preliminary agreement with World Liberty Financial - a decentralised finance company 60% owned by the Trump family - to expand blockchain technology.
The Nobel Pitch: Pakistan has nominated Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, citing his “decisive diplomatic intervention” in easing Indo-Pak tensions.
Minerals, Geopolitics, and Security: US officials are also eyeing Pakistan’s untapped rare earth minerals, crucial for electronics and defence, as tensions with China, the primary supplier, escalate. Washington sent representatives to April’s Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum. The US recently designated the Balochistan Liberation Army and its Majeed Brigade as terrorist organisations. The move follows General Munir’s rare solo lunch at the White House in June, signalling Washington’s deepening engagement with Pakistan’s military leadership.
DuniyaDIARY 🌏📒
Image credits: CNBC
xAI co-founder exits: Igor Babuschkin, a founding member of Elon Musk’s xAI, has left the startup to launch Babuschkin Ventures, focusing on AI safety research and funding startups in AI and agentic systems. Babuschkin, who co-founded xAI with Musk in 2023, said his goal remains to build technology that “advances humanity and unlocks the mysteries of our universe.”
WhatsApp says Russia trouble: The messaging giant accused Moscow of blocking millions from encrypted communication after call restrictions were imposed. Russia claims the move targets platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram for not cooperating in fraud and terrorism probes.
Trump links tariff manufacturing: President Donald Trump is tying the relaxation of certain tariffs for foreign allies to commitments for building factories in the United States. The policy, aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing and critical industries, could potentially channel over $10 trillion into the US economy.
Apple plots AI expansion: Apple is planning an ambitious AI-driven hardware comeback, including a robotic tabletop assistant, smart speaker with display, home-security cameras, and an overhauled Siri.
Aur Batao 📰
SEBI clearing the way for foreign cash? SEBI is giving foreign investors the VIP treatment by launching a single-window clearance for low-risk funds and axing redundant paperwork. The goal is to make investing in India less of a bureaucratic headache and more of a streamlined process.
India's money-go-round: RBI data reveals a two-way money flow: Indians spent ₹1.76 lakh crore on foreign education last decade, while remittances from abroad hit a record ₹29,000 crore, up from ₹2,429 crore a decade ago, making India the world's top recipient.
Voter list showdown: The Supreme Court has ordered the EC to publish the names of 65 lakh voters dropped from Bihar's electoral rolls and the reason for each deletion. This move ensures transparency and allows people to challenge wrongful removals.
₹’s rough patch: The rupee dropped to a three-month low, hitting 83.59 against the US dollar. The dip is fuelled by rising crude oil prices, which climbed over $84 a barrel, and simmering geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Cloudburst calamity in J&K: A massive cloudburst in J&K's Kishtwar district unleashed flash floods, killing at least 46 people (as of writing this piece) after hitting a major pilgrimage route. With many more feared trapped, a large-scale rescue operation is now underway amid the devastation.
