February 25th 2024

Good morning! In today’s top ten:

Tech

• Indian government to unveil AI regulatory framework by July 2024.

• Apple’s India business jumps 42% in 2023 to $8.7 billion.

• Uber to enter ticketing market in India.

• X withholds accounts in India under government pressure.

• India will now allow overseas investments in its growing private space sector.

Culture

• The historical depth and linguistic diversity of Hinglish and Indian languages.

• New talent agency rethinks queer representation in Indian fashion.

• Bollywood's exam-centric films reinvent the underdog narrative.

• Exploring the complexity and necessity of a caste census in India.

• Kites vs drones: a unique protest at the New Delhi border.

Indian government to unveil AI regulatory framework by July 2024. LINK

• IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar announced that the Indian government plans to unveil a draft regulatory framework for artificial intelligence by July 2024.

• With India’s digital population projected to reach 1.3 billion, these regulations aim to harness AI for economic growth while setting up guardrails to prevent misuse.

• The strategy will leverage India's strong talent pool for global competitiveness in AI with a commitment to innovation across devices, AI applications, and semiconductors.

Apple’s India business jumps 42% in 2023 to $8.7 billion. LINK

• Apple's revenue in India surged by 42% in 2023, reaching $8.7 billion, with iPhone shipments growing 39% year-on-year to 9.2 million units, positioning India as iPhone's fifth largest market and surpassing any single European Union country.

• India accounted for 4% of global iPhone shipments and revenue in 2023, a significant increase from 1% five years ago, with analysts suggesting India could surpass China as a larger iPhone market by 2027 if current growth trajectories continue.

• The demand in India leans towards premium iPhones with higher storage with an average selling price of $940 in 2023, with the top five models making up 86% of total sales; Apple's strategic expansions include opening retail stores and shifting iPhone manufacturing to India, projecting a revenue of $40 billion by 2032.

Uber to enter the travel ticketing market in India. LINK

• Uber has signed an MoU with the Indian government-backed ONDC to explore integrations that could expand its mobility services in India, initially focusing on intercity bus and metro rail ticketing.

• The ONDC initiative, launched in 2021, aims to democratize the e-commerce and mobility sectors in India by connecting buyers and sellers on an open platform.

• As part of its strategy to make ONDC self-sustaining, a marginal fee model for participants is under discussion, aiming to support small entities without burdening them.

X withholds accounts in India under government pressure. LINK

• The Indian government has ordered the temporary blockage of about 177 accounts and posts amid protests where farmers are demanding increased support prices for their produce. 

• X, formerly Twitter, is complying with Indian government orders citing potential penalties including fines and imprisonment for noncompliance, while expressing disagreement with the action and advocating for transparency. 

• X's stance reflects a broader concern over freedom of expression and the increasing powers of New Delhi under amended IT rules to enforce compliance among internet services. The platform is challenging the Indian government's blocking orders through a pending writ appeal.

India will now allow overseas investments in its growing private space sector. LINK

• India has revised its foreign direct investment (FDI) policy for the space sector, allowing increased overseas investment aiming to attract global investors and enhance its presence in the global space economy.

• The amendments categorize FDI limits into up to 49% for launch and spaceport activities, 74% for satellite manufacturing and operations, and 100% for manufacturing components.

• With around 190 space tech startups and investments surpassing $124 million last year, India's space economy is projected to grow to $44 billion by 2033, significantly benefiting from the new FDI norms and potentially increasing its global space economy share beyond the current 2%.

• Here are 20 of India’s biggest space startups set to benefit from this amendment.

The historical depth and linguistic diversity of Hinglish. LINK

• Hinglish, a combination of English and Hindi, dates back to 1827 with Henry Louis Vivian Derozio incorporating Hindi in English poetry. 

• This blend of Hindi and English, along with other regional language mixes (Tanglish, Kanglish, Bonglish, etc.), illustrates the natural linguistic hybridization in India, challenging the notion of Hinglish as a purely contemporary phenomenon.

New talent agency rethinks queer representation in Indian fashion. LINK

• Drag queen Glorious Luna and queer supermodel Nin Kala have co-founded Current Management, a talent agency "of the queers, by the queers, for everybody," aiming to authentically represent queer artists and provide them with a platform free from conventional industry prejudices.

• Although increasing advocacy for inclusivity and diversity is reshaping diversity in India’s fashion industry non-binary and transgender models are still tokenized.

• Current Management focuses on connecting inclusive brands with unique individuals, housing talents like makeup artists, fashion stylists, dancers, actors, and drag artists, challenging the fashion and beauty industry to embrace and represent the LGBTQIA+ community more authentically and safely.

Bollywood's exam-centric films reinvent the underdog narrative. LINK

• There has been a rise in Bollywood movies like "All India Rank" and "12th Fail" that explore the intense pressures of competitive exams in India, portraying the struggles of underdog protagonists against a backdrop of societal expectations and personal challenges.

• The genre's popularity is bolstered by streaming platforms’ ability to fund diverse stories, tapping into a shared cultural understanding of India’s intensely competitive education system and the allure of the classic underdog story in India.

Exploring the complexity and necessity of a caste census in India: Insights from sociologist Surinder S. Jodhka. LINK

• Social scientist and JNU professor Surinder S. Jodhka emphasizes the living reality of the caste system at the regional level despite the ban on caste discrimination in India’s constitution.

• The state of Bihar recently conducted a caste survey that reveals crucial data on caste dynamics that highlights the role beyond identity that caste plays to include social exclusion and developmental indicators. 

• The last nationwide caste census was conducted in 1931 and some states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are now initiating state-level surveys.

Kites vs drones: a unique protest at the New Delhi border. LINK

• Indian farmers continued their protests for higher crop prices at New Delhi’s border with neighboring states Haryana and Punjab.

• Police forces are trying everything they can to deter protesters, including deploying drones with tear gas, creating physical roadblocks, using high-pitched sound devices, and making roads slippery by spilling lubricant.

• Farmers are getting innovative with reports of kites being used to down police drones and farm equipment to ricochet tear gas.

In other news

• Read the story behind how math professor Saverio E Spagnolie created a board game based on the Vijayanagara empire from the 13th century.

• A new government survey shows per capita household spending has doubled in India, with poverty rates below 5%.

• India’s Ministry of External Affairs issues notice to Indian Citizens to avoid joining the Russian army to fight Ukraine. 

• New startup Varaha aims to reduce smog blanket from crop burning by providing carbon credits to incentivize sustainable farming. Meanwhile, India’s government will not accept “unjust” carbon emission mandates, sticking to India’s plan to become net zero by 2070.

• Byju Ravendra rebuts dismissal rumors after BYJU’s shareholders pass resolution to oust CEO. 

• Vietnamese EV manufacturer VinFast invests $500M in Indian EV manufacturing. 

• Amazon collaborates with Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME) to empower 25,000 women entrepreneurs in rural India. 

• Air India’s new flight safety video celebrates classical dance and folk-art forms from across India.

New Delhi gets a new record store by vinyl enthusiast Digging In India.