March 14th 2024

Good morning! In today’s top ten:

Tech

• Qualcomm open to buying 'made in India' semiconductor chips, says CEO

• India's antitrust body orders probe into Google's in-app billing dispute with local startups

• Indian corporate affairs panel proposes digital competition law

• Taiwan intensifies tech cooperation with India

• Ontario teachers mint new unicorn in Indian fintech, Perfios

Culture

• Indian government enforces dormant exclusionary citizenship law ahead of national election

• Contemporary Indian photographer Anurag Banerjee to release new photobook "The Songs of Our People" focusing on Meghalayan artists

• Cinevesture international film festival launches in India featuring global cinematic showcases

• Bollywood studios release slew of pro-government films ahead of general elections

• Jonathan Groff and Karan Soni create rom-com history with "A Nice Indian Boy"

Qualcomm open to buying 'made in India' semiconductor chips, says CEO LINK

• Qualcomm's CEO, Cristiano Amon, has stated the company is open to sourcing their semiconductor chips from India once available.

• India's government has approved four semiconductor chip-making projects, including partnerships with US-based Micron Technology and Tata Electronics, with the first Micron 'Made in India' chip expected in December 2024.

• Qualcomm's new design center in Chennai will contribute to global research and development efforts on 5G cellular technology and employs 1,600 engineers specializing in wireless connectivity solutions.

India's antitrust body orders probe into Google's in-app billing dispute with local startups LINK

• India's antitrust body, the Competition Commission of India (CCI), has ordered an investigation into Google's in-app billing system after local startups accused the tech giant of implementing policies in a discriminatory manner.

• The issue arose after Google attempted to impose a fee of 11% to 26% on in-app payments. Previously, the CCI had ordered Google to dismantle a system charging 15% to 30% in 2022. 

• The dispute intensified when Google removed over 100 Indian apps from its store for billing-related violations, prompting the Indian government to intervene. Google denies any wrongdoing and plans to cooperate fully with the investigation.

Indian corporate affairs panel proposes digital competition law LINK

• A panel led by corporate affairs secretary Manoj Govil proposed a new digital competition law aiming to regulate the activities of large tech companies. 

• The law is supposed to apply only to "systemically significant digital enterprises" that have a substantial presence in India.

• The new law has sparked mixed reactions; some believe it will foster competition and reduce anti-competitive practices, while others express concerns over stifling innovation and over-regulation.

Taiwan intensifies tech cooperation with India LINK

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the semiconductor industry is a major field of strategic cooperation between Taiwan and India 

• This partnership seeks to leverage India's vast software talents and Taiwan's hardware manufacturing prowess. 

• This enhanced collaboration has potential implications for the global tech sector, potentially shifting regional dynamics and competitiveness.

Ontario teachers mint new unicorn in Indian fintech, Perfios LINK

• The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan has invested $80M in Indian fintech firm, Perfios, increasing its valuation to $1 billion. 

• Perfios, an Indian fintech that provides real-time credit underwriting solutions to banks and other financial institutions, will use the fresh capital to strengthen its business outside of India and to explore inorganic growth opportunities

• This investor has invested more than $3 billion in India already and plans to deploy significant additional investments in the country by 2030.

Indian government enforces dormant exclusionary citizenship law ahead of national election LINK

• The Indian government has announced enforcement of the Citizenship Amendment Act, which was dormant since 2019 after it sparked civic unrest due to its exclusion of Muslims.

• The abrupt announcement comes just as the national election dates in April/May are expected to be revealed; Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilling a key promise could shift voter sentiment in districts housing Hindu refugees who stand to benefit.

• The law's enforcement underscores Modi's power in reshaping the republic, showcasing his vision of a Hindu-first state.

Contemporary Indian photographer Anurag Banerjee to release new photobook "The Songs of Our People" focusing on Meghalayan artists LINK

• The book aims to explore themes of identity and belonging through the art, and stories of often marginalized musicians from northeastern India.

• It is set to be launched on March 22nd and 23rd at the Evening Club in Shillong, Meghalaya.

Cinevesture international film festival launches in India featuring global cinematic showcases LINK

• The inaugural Cinevesture International Film Festival in India will feature films from around the world, including French film "The Taste of Things" and Korea's "Exhuma" as opening and closing features respectively.

• It also features various open air screenings of foundational movies from past decades and an exhibition celebrating the centenary of late Indian actor-directors Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand.

• The festival runs from March 27-31 in Chandigarh

Bollywood studios release slew of pro-government films ahead of general elections LINK

• In the lead-up to the general elections, a series of Bollywood movies are releasing promoting Hindutva and pro-government themes, with several focusing on divisive historical figures and events. 

• High-profile releases include biopics of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (who advocated for a hindu nation), a film conspirationalizing the Gujarat riots, a movie taking aim at JNU portraying a perceived threat of "urban Naxals" on Indian campuses. 

• Critics argue these films are blatant propaganda to curry favor with the incumbent government. Success at the box office may determine the continuation of such politically-charged themes in Indian cinema.

Jonathan Groff and Karan Soni create rom-com history with "A Nice Indian Boy" LINK

• "A Nice Indian Boy", a film directed by Roshan Sethi, marks a significant step in the representation of gay relationships in Indian culture, featuring Jonathan Groff and Karan Soni, Sethi's real-life partner.

• The film builds on a meet-cute at a template to explore queerness and what it is to be Indian, coming from a deeply personal place for Sethi and Soni, who co-wrote the script based on their own experiences.

• Despite some discriminatory experiences (such as Vancouver's Hindu leaders refusing wedding scene consultation due to their sexuality), Sethi and Soni consider this experience a moment of 'pure joy', highlighting the film's importance in challenging cultural norms and advocating for acceptance.

In other news:

• New Indian genomes study reveals rich Neanderthal and Denisovan gene diversity LINK

• US intelligence warns of possible armed conflict between India and China LINK

• India sees significant rise in human development index and life expectancy, according to UN report LINK