Explore every episode of the podcast Mint Primer

The landslide in Wayanad in Kerala that has killed over 200 people is one of the biggest natural disasters to have struck the country in recent times. Mint looks at the spate of landslides in recent times, why they are on the rise and how, if at all, they can be mitigated.

In a landmark judgment last week, the Supreme Court upheld states’ right to tax land-bearing minerals. This decision will impact industry but bolster states’ ability to raise resources. Mint looks at the judgment, its significance and how it will affect consumers

The EV industry in India is in need of a push, with growth beginning to taper. At least part of it is due to a cut in subsidies earlier this year. As a result, hopes are now pinned on the third instalment of FAME scheme expected to be announced in the budget on 23 July.

Domestic pump prices of petrol and diesel have remained unchanged since May 2022, the longest freeze in India. With the Centre netting buoyant tax revenue and global crude prices benign, can consumers hope for a cut in the run-up to the elections next year?

India’s weightage on the MSCI emerging markets (EM) index is tipped to rise to 16.3% from the current 15.88% with nine fresh stock inclusions in the gauge. The addition, effective 30 November, will take India’s representation to an all-time high of 131 stocks.

On 10 November, India’s currency touched an all-time low of ₹83.5 against the dollar. It has now recovered a little, closing at ₹83.1 on 15 November. Mint explains the reasons behind the rupee’s slide in the recent past and gives a peek into the future.

A mix of solutions has helped sharply reduce crop stubble burning by farmers in Punjab and Haryana. But some still resort to the polluting practice because of a shortage of machines to manage crop residues, causing the air quality index (AQI) to worsen

The growth of India’s labour productivity—output per person per hour—has been tepid. And working longer hours is not a solution. Mint looks at the reasons for the low productivity growth and what needs to be done to improve it.

With AI tools becoming more accessible, deepfakes are a rising threat in audio, video, and photo formats. But, catching the actual perpetrators is next to impossible, thanks to how cyber tools allow people to obfuscate the traces of origin.

India’s co-working sector, also called the flex workspace sector, modelled itself on WeWork Inc., the SoftBank-backed startup that filed for bankruptcy in the US this week. How does this development impact WeWork India and other companies?

Home sales in October-December are expected to clock the best-ever festive period sales. October was already a blockbuster month in some cities, triggered by Navaratri. Now, developers expect Diwali to catapult the real estate industry to a new high.

With elections looming, the prime minister has extended the free foodgrain scheme, which was due to end after December, by 5 years. The announcement, made at an election rally, is being viewed as a political move. What does it entail?

The central government last week notified a regulation to allow unlisted Indian companies to be listed on foreign exchanges. Until now, only companies already listed in India were eligible for a secondary listing. In this context, Mint provides a detailed explanation of this recent development and its potential ramifications.

On 8 July, a Supreme Court bench will hear petitions challenging alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG). With the future of 2.4 million medical students at stake, lets takes a look at how things could be improved.

The US Federal Reserve has decided to hold the federal funds rate steady at 5.25-5%. This is the second meeting in a row the Fed has maintained the status quo on the funds rate. Why did the Fed do this and what are the implications of this decision?

The government has asked Apple to join its investigation into allegations that the iPhones of some opposition leaders and journalists could have been compromised by “state-sponsored” hackers. Is your phone hacked? What can you do about it?

Demand for smartphones dropped in 2022, with the market shrinking 10%. In the first six months of 2023, it dropped another 10%. Premium phones, priced at $400 or more, are bucking the trend—shipments grew 75% in H1 this year. Are premium phones more affordable now?

Domestic overall two-wheeler sales increased 4% in the first half of FY24, and estimates suggest they will easily top 17 million units by the year-end. Yet, sales would be significantly below the peak levels of the pre-covid era.

GM’s autonomous vehicle startup Cruise has slammed the brakes on its driverless cars, as US regulators investigate alleged safety breaches. Will this move put a spoke in the wheel of driverless cars globally? Or is this a step in the right direction?

The yield on 10-year US treasury bonds crossed 5% on Monday—the first time since 2007. It closed at 4.95% on Wednesday. This bond yield is important in influencing the direction of interest rates not just in the US but all across the world

Demand for IT services has slumped amid a global slowdown. India’s IT companies have, therefore, clamped down on their hiring plans. In fact, FY24 could turn out to be the worst year for IT sector hiring in a long time.

Data released last week by the agriculture ministry shows food production touched record highs in 2022-23. The robust numbers are at variance with India’s decision to curb exports of wheat and rice, and the trajectory of food inflation across multiple crops.

At the recently concluded International Monetary Fund (IMF)-World Bank meetings in Marrakesh, officials fretted over the new trend of interest rates remaining high for a long period. Mint looks at how it will impact the world at large and India in particular.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday confirmed that India will formally bid for hosting the 2036 Olympic Games. How much does it cost to host the 16-day event and is it worth the effort? Mint evaluates the economic implications of a successful bid.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has skipped the 2024 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit meet in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Is India’s interest in this grouping fading? Mint examines this question and more.

Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram are headed for assembly elections amid varying retail inflation numbers. Rajasthan’s at 6.53% is above the RBI’s upper tolerance band. Mint explains the relevance of inflation to the elections.

Earlier this month, carmaker Hyundai announced plans to offer advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) across its entire product range in India. Why has it become fashionable to talk about ADAS and what is spurring its growth? Tune in Now.

Southern states are on a borrowing spree. In the second quarter of 2023-24, all of them—barring Karnataka—have gone way beyond their planned borrowing limits. Why is this so? And how have the other states fared?

Israel is at war with Hamas, the latest chapter in an enervating cycle of violence. Why has the Palestine question remained unresolved for so long? Mint takes a look at the past, present, and future of this festering conflict and its implications for the world and Indian economy.

Claudia Goldin, an economic historian and professor at Harvard University bagged this year’s Nobel prize in economics for her pioneering research that advances our understanding of labour market outcomes for women.

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) is automating its compliance system with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools. But decisions such as serving notices on companies will be left to (human) officials to make.

The Chungthang dam in Sikkim, the source for a hydropower plant, collapsed last week, killing 30 people. Recently, other states have also witnessed catastrophes involving large dams leading to floods and landslides. Just how safe are these mega-projects? Mint explains.

The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) monetary policy committee (MPC) is set to deliver its decision on the policy repo rate today, with the market expecting a status quo despite the surge in prices amid a hardening of bond yields. A pause, nevertheless, would be a challenge.

A malaria vaccine developed by Oxford University and Serum Institute of India (SII) has been recommended for large-scale use by the World Health Organization (WHO). The R21/Matrix-M—only the second malaria jab—has shown up to 75% efficacy.

Andhra Pradesh’s new Guaranteed Pension System (GPS) is a hybrid of the old and new pension schemes. It offers the best of both worlds—a guaranteed pension without burdening the state significantly. Mint looks at its potential to salvage India’s hard-fought pension reforms.

Property markets in tier-II cities, where sales and price growth have long been subdued, saw a turnaround in both home sales and prices last year. While the sales volume is much lower than in tier-I markets, the pace of growth is faster. What’s the future of small-town homes?

The European Union’s (EU’s) carbon tax—the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)—came into effect on 1 October, causing a wedge between developing and developed countries. Interestingly, it is facing resistance from even within Europe. Tune in now for the breakdown

The latest tranche of sovereign gold bonds (SGBs) saw investors subscribing to a record number of units. Mint looks at the reasons for this high interest in SGBs, gold’s clout as a hedge against inflation and the outlook for the yellow metal.

The central government on Tuesday announced that it will borrow ₹6.55 trillion during the second half of the ongoing fiscal year, keeping its borrowing plans unchanged. Mint explains the relevance of this for the Indian economy.

In todays primer we take a look in the world of Gambling firms and the stance of the DGGI levying taxes on these firms in regards to a lot of under the table tax evasion and discrepancies, The gaming industry criticizes these claims, considering them disproportionate, and questions the legal basis for such retrospective claims, which were not recommended by the finance minister in the GST Council meeting. Tune in now for the whole story

in today's primer we take a look at how recent data indicates a notable reduction in delays associated with the completion of real estate projects. This positive trend can be largely attributed to the pivotal role played by the implementation of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, commonly known as RERA. Tune in now

Taxes on oil make up a chunk of government revenue. Surging interest in electric vehicles, however, puts this under threat. Distance tax is touted as one way to offset any loss in revenue. What is it, how effective will it be, and how does it work? Sumant Banerji explains the reasons behind it. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

In a surprise move, the government last week reintroduced licensing and ended free imports of IT hardware. Many reasons have been cited for this step. Mint explains the possible rationale and the potential impact of the measure going forward. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

After five years and multiple iterations, the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill was tabled in Parliament on Thursday. Featuring a number of changes from the 2022 draft, the bill is a mixed bag. Shouvik Das, Gulveen Aulakh gives you the top five takeaways. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

India’s foreign exchange reserves, which peaked at $642 billion in October 2021, declined for most part of last year. The trend reversed this year with forex reserves touching a 15-month high of $609 billion as of 14 July. Mint explains the reasons behind this rise.

Luxury car sales were at record levels in the first half of 2023. Should the trend continue, the industry could log an all-time high for the full year. What explains this frenzy, who are the major benefactors and how long will it sustain? Sumant Banerji explains the reasons behind this rise. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

The idea of getting internet connectivity beamed from satellites is gaining popularity. But, as the technology matures, satellite communications (satcom)-based internet service has moved away from being a user-centric technology. Is it viable for users in India?

Mint's Alisha Sachdev discusses how car design and safety criss-cross and interact when it comes to building a new vehicle, with Tata Motors' Head of Global Design Martin Uhlarik. How does the company balance price, style, function and safety? What changes will autonomous driving bring? Tune in to this special episode for plenty of food for thought.

Smartphone sales in India have been falling, with the entry and mid-tier segment the most impacted. In the first half of 2023, overall sales dropped below the 50-million-unit mark. Why are sales declining and what do we expect for the rest of the year? Sumant Banerji finds out.

Around 135 million Indians exited ‘multidimensional poverty’, a measure of deprivation beyond money, between 2015-16 and 2019-21, the Niti Aayog says. The basis of calculation is the National Family Health Survey (NFHS). Mint's Tanay Sukumar explains. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.