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Meta AI has 1.2 billion monthly active users. That number sounds impressive until you understand how it was achieved: not by building a product people chose to use, but by embedding an AI assistant directly into WhatsApp, Instagram DMs, and Facebook feeds — apps that billions of people were already using every day. Users did not download Meta AI. They did not sign up for it. It appeared, uninvited, inside their existing conversations and search bars. Compare that to ChatGPT, which has 900 million weekly active users who actively chose to visit a standalone product — and which holds 76.85% of the AI search market. For professional tasks like coding, research, legal analysis, and writing, ChatGPT remains far superior. Meta AI is widely described as useful for quick queries and social integration, but not much else.&nbsp;$83.5 Billion In Cumulative Losses And Counting&nbsp;Meta's Reality Labs division — which houses its AI, VR, AR, and metaverse operations — has accumulated approximately $83.5 billion in operating losses across 21 consecutive quarters. In 2025 alone, Reality Labs burned $19.2 billion. In Q1 2026, it lost another $4.03 billion while generating just $402 million in revenue — a ratio of roughly $10 lost for every $1 earned. Meta has now laid off more than 1,000 Reality Labs employees as it pivots resources from the metaverse to AI, but the losses continue to mount with no breakeven point in sight.&nbsp;$145 Billion In AI Spending — With No Cloud Business To Show For It&nbsp;Meta has raised its 2026 capital expenditure forecast to between $125 billion and $145 billion — an increase of over 60% year-on-year. This money is going into data centres, Nvidia GPUs, and AI infrastructure. Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are spending similar amounts — but each of them has a cloud computing business that immediately monetises that infrastructure by selling compute capacity to other companies. Meta has no cloud business. Its revenue is almost entirely advertising. Every dollar spent on AI infrastructure is a bet that it will eventually make ads more targeted and platforms more engaging. That may happen. But right now, Meta AI, business agents, WhatsApp paid messaging, and early commerce initiatives are not generating meaningful revenue. The AI spending is improving the existing ad business — not building a new one.&nbsp;The Moderation Crisis Nobody Is Pricing In&nbsp;While Meta pours billions into AI infrastructure, the AI it has already deployed is actively destroying trust with the people who use its platforms. Meta's own Oversight Board confirmed in June 2026 that the company's account bans lack due process and transparency. Thousands of creators, small business owners, and ordinary users have had their accounts suspended or permanently deleted by AI moderation systems that falsely flag normal content — including family photos — as violations. A Change.org petition against wrongful Meta account bans has gathered nearly 56,000 signatures. Meanwhile, AI-generated bot accounts with blue tick verification badges continue to operate freely on the same platforms. Meta has gutted its human moderation teams in favour of AI enforcement — and the AI is getting it catastrophically wrong at scale.&nbsp;Zuckerberg's Answer On AI Returns&nbsp;When Meta reported its Q1 2026 earnings and revealed the raised capex guidance, analysts pressed Mark Zuckerberg on what measurable return on investment the company's AI spending was actually delivering. His answer was notable: he described it as ‘a very technical question.’ For a company spending up to $145 billion in a single year on capital projects — more than the GDP of most countries — that answer is not reassuring. Meta's CFO said the 2025 AI investment cohort ‘paid off,’ but what that means in practice is that ad targeting improved. It does not mean Meta AI as a product generates revenue. It does not mean the $145 billion in infrastructure will produce a new business line. It means the existing advertising machine got slightly better.&nbsp;What The Market Is Choosing To Ignore&nbsp;Meta's stock has fallen approximately 27.5% from its all-time high of $796.25 in August 2025, trading at around $577 as of mid-June 2026. But even after that correction, the market is still valuing Meta at roughly $1.46 trillion — a price that assumes the AI spending will eventually pay off, that Meta AI will become a competitive product, and that the moderation crisis will resolve itself. The data suggests a different picture: a company that has burned nearly $90 billion on Reality Labs over seven years with no return, that is spending $145 billion on infrastructure it cannot monetise through a cloud business, whose flagship AI product was force-embedded into existing apps rather than adopted on its own merits, and whose AI moderation system is actively destroying the creator and small business ecosystem that drives its advertising revenue. The market may be right that Meta's ad business is strong enough to survive all of this. But calling Meta AI a success — when its users did not choose it, its moderation is failing, its losses are approaching $90 billion, and its CEO calls ROI ‘a very technical question’ — requires ignoring a substantial amount of evidence to the contrary.

Meta AI has 1.2B users it didn't earn, $83.5B in cumulative losses, $145B capex with no cloud business, and a moderation crisis destroying creator trust. Here's the data.

Meta AI has 1.2 billion monthly active users. That number sounds impressive until you understand how it was achieved: not by building a product people chose to use, but by embedding an AI assistant directly into WhatsApp, Instagram DMs, and Facebook feeds — apps that billions of people were already using every day. Users did not download Meta AI. They did not sign up for it. It appeared, uninvited, inside their existing conversations and search bars. Compare that to ChatGPT, which has 900 million weekly active users who actively chose to visit a standalone product — and which holds 76.85% of the AI search market. For professional tasks like coding, research, legal analysis, and writing, ChatGPT remains far superior. Meta AI is widely described as useful for quick queries and social integration, but not much else. $83.5 Billion In Cumulative Losses And Counting Meta's Reality Labs division — which houses its AI, VR, AR, and metaverse operations — has accumulated approximately $83.5 billion in operating losses across 21 consecutive quarters. In 2025 alone, Reality Labs burned $19.2 billion. In Q1 2026, it lost another $4.03 billion while generating just $402 million in revenue — a ratio of roughly $10 lost for every $1 earned. Meta has now laid off more than 1,000 Reality Labs employees as it pivots resources from the metaverse to AI, but the losses continue to mount with no breakeven point in sight. $145 Billion In AI Spending — With No Cloud Business To Show For It Meta has raised its 2026 capital expenditure forecast to between $125 billion and $145 billion — an increase of over 60% year-on-year. This money is going into data centres, Nvidia GPUs, and AI infrastructure. Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are spending similar amounts — but each of them has a cloud computing business that immediately monetises that infrastructure by selling compute capacity to other companies. Meta has no cloud business. Its revenue is almost entirely advertising. Every dollar spent on AI infrastructure is a bet that it will eventually make ads more targeted and platforms more engaging. That may happen. But right now, Meta AI, business agents, WhatsApp paid messaging, and early commerce initiatives are not generating meaningful revenue. The AI spending is improving the existing ad business — not building a new one. The Moderation Crisis Nobody Is Pricing In While Meta pours billions into AI infrastructure, the AI it has already deployed is actively destroying trust with the people who use its platforms. Meta's own Oversight Board confirmed in June 2026 that the company's account bans lack due process and transparency. Thousands of creators, small business owners, and ordinary users have had their accounts suspended or permanently deleted by AI moderation systems that falsely flag normal content — including family photos — as violations. A Change.org petition against wrongful Meta account bans has gathered nearly 56,000 signatures. Meanwhile, AI-generated bot accounts with blue tick verification badges continue to operate freely on the same platforms. Meta has gutted its human moderation teams in favour of AI enforcement — and the AI is getting it catastrophically wrong at scale. Zuckerberg's Answer On AI Returns When Meta reported its Q1 2026 earnings and revealed the raised capex guidance, analysts pressed Mark Zuckerberg on what measurable return on investment the company's AI spending was actually delivering. His answer was notable: he described it as ‘a very technical question.’ For a company spending up to $145 billion in a single year on capital projects — more than the GDP of most countries — that answer is not reassuring. Meta's CFO said the 2025 AI investment cohort ‘paid off,’ but what that means in practice is that ad targeting improved. It does not mean Meta AI as a product generates revenue. It does not mean the $145 billion in infrastructure will produce a new business line. It means the existing advertising machine got slightly better. What The Market Is Choosing To Ignore Meta's stock has fallen approximately 27.5% from its all-time high of $796.25 in August 2025, trading at around $577 as of mid-June 2026. But even after that correction, the market is still valuing Meta at roughly $1.46 trillion — a price that assumes the AI spending will eventually pay off, that Meta AI will become a competitive product, and that the moderation crisis will resolve itself. The data suggests a different picture: a company that has burned nearly $90 billion on Reality Labs over seven years with no return, that is spending $145 billion on infrastructure it cannot monetise through a cloud business, whose flagship AI product was force-embedded into existing apps rather than adopted on its own merits, and whose AI moderation system is actively destroying the creator and small business ecosystem that drives its advertising revenue. The market may be right that Meta's ad business is strong enough to survive all of this. But calling Meta AI a success — when its users did not choose it, its moderation is failing, its losses are approaching $90 billion, and its CEO calls ROI ‘a very technical question’ — requires ignoring a substantial amount of evidence to the contrary.

Meta AI has 1.2 billion monthly users it did not earn, force-embedded into WhatsApp and Instagram. Reality Labs has burned through $83.5 billion in cumulative losses. The company is spending $145 billion on AI infrastructure with no cloud business to monetise it. Its own Oversight Board says its AI moderation lacks due process. And when asked about AI returns, Mark Zuckerberg called it ‘a very technical question.’ Here is the data the market is choosing to ignore.

Meta AI is a lost cause but the market refuses to see it yet! Here's why

Meta Platforms has agreed to invest $900 million in Indian fintech startup CRED, acquiring an approximately 20 per cent minority stake and valuing the Bengaluru-based company at $4.5 billion. At the same time, CRED founder Kunal Shah has been appointed global head of WhatsApp, succeeding Will Cathcart, who led the platform for nearly seven years.The deal is the single largest strategic investment by a global technology major in India's consumer financial services sector. But the number that matters most is not $900 million. It is 0.65 per cent.<h2>What Meta actually bought</h2>CRED is not a platform built for everyone, and it was never meant to be.The company admits only Indians with CIBIL credit scores above 750, a threshold that excludes the vast majority of the population and leaves roughly 17 million members who collectively represent the country's most financially active consumer segment. These are people who pay their credit card bills on time, borrow responsibly, and spend at a scale that makes them disproportionately valuable to any financial platform trying to build depth rather than just volume.The platform processes more than 40 per cent of India's credit card bill payments. Over time, it has expanded into personal loans, insurance, e-commerce and investment products. In March 2026, the Reserve Bank of India granted CRED a Payment Aggregator licence, one of the most consequential regulatory authorisations in Indian fintech, giving it the infrastructure to process payments directly for merchants.Financially, CRED ended FY25 with operating revenue of Rs 2,735 crore, up 16 per cent year on year. Operating losses narrowed by 51 per cent to Rs 298 crore. On a net basis, after accounting for non-operating expenses, including employee stock options and depreciation, losses contracted by 11.5 per cent to Rs 1,457 crore. In May 2026 alone, CRED processed 157.19 crore UPI transactions worth Rs 61,002 crore.Ashish Bhatia, Founder and CEO of India Accelerator and Co-Founder of Finvolve, said the deal should not be read as a valuation story."People often say CRED is a credit card bill payment app. That's like saying Amazon is a bookstore," Bhatia said. "CRED became valuable because it became the platform for a particular kind of Indian: financially responsible, creditworthy and aspirational, allowing them to progressively do more things. Pay bills, yes. But also borrow, invest, shop and discover. The product kept deepening because the relationship kept deepening. That's what platforms do. That's what Meta bought."<h2>The gap Meta could not close</h2>The strategic urgency behind the deal is visible in that single number: 0.65 per cent.That is WhatsApp Pay's share of India's UPI market as of May 2026, according to data published by the National Payments Corporation of India and reported across multiple outlets. It trails PhonePe at 46.2 per cent, Google Pay at 32.7 per cent, Paytm at 7.9 per cent, and even smaller players such as Navi, super.money, BHIM, FamPay and CRED's own UPI product. For an app used by more than 500 million Indians every day, it is a number that tells its own story.India processed a record 23.2 billion UPI transactions in May 2026 alone, according to NPCI. WhatsApp was present for almost none of them in any meaningful commercial sense.The reason traces back to timing. PhonePe entered the UPI market in 2016. Google Pay followed in 2017. WhatsApp Pay did not receive full regulatory approval until 2020, by which time Indian consumers had already formed payment habits, merchants had already integrated rival platforms, and the market had already chosen its defaults. Meta has spent six years trying to close that gap. It has not.Meta has now committed more than $6.6 billion across India's digital economy: $5.7 billion for a 9.99 per cent stake in Reliance's Jio Platforms in April 2020, and $900 million for an approximately 20 per cent stake in CRED in June 2026. The Jio investment was designed to accelerate WhatsApp commerce through JioMart. That partnership remains active. WhatsApp Pay's market position, however, has not materially improved.<h2>One window, one deadline</h2>The window Meta is now targeting is not competitive. It is regulatory, and it has a closing date.India's National Payments Corporation of India requires PhonePe and Google Pay to cap their individual transaction volumes at 30 per cent of the total UPI market by 31 December 2026. Both currently exceed that threshold significantly, with PhonePe at 46.2 per cent and Google Pay at 32.7 per cent. The rule has been extended twice before, most recently on 31 December 2024, citing operational challenges. If it remains in force this time, both dominant platforms would be required to stop onboarding new users once they reach the cap, creating an opportunity that WhatsApp Pay, with Kunal Shah now leading the product globally, is better positioned than ever to seize.The shift is already beginning. The combined share of PhonePe and Google Pay fell to 79 per cent in May 2026, below 80 per cent for the first time since NPCI began publishing individual application statistics, according to Outlook Business, citing NPCI data. The top three providers collectively held 95.2 per cent of all transactions in January 2024. By May 2026, that had contracted to 87 per cent as smaller platforms steadily gained ground.NPCI also lifted the user onboarding cap on WhatsApp Pay entirely on 31 December 2024, opening UPI payments on the platform to its full Indian user base for the first time.<h2>What this means for the ecosystem</h2>The deal's implications extend well beyond WhatsApp and CRED.Bhatia said it is a signal that India's fintech market is entering a period of fundamental bifurcation and that the criteria for survival are shifting."The ecosystem is bifurcating sharply between companies that own a real relationship with a specific community and companies that are just running transactions," he said. "The ones who survive the next cycle will be asking the right question today: not 'How do I grow faster?' but 'Which community do I truly belong to, and what more can I do for them?'"The CRED valuation trajectory illustrates this shift in numbers. The company peaked at $6.4 billion in 2022, fell to $3.5 billion in a 2025 down round, and has recovered to $4.5 billion following Meta's investment. It is a full cycle that mirrors the broader shift in sentiment across India's fintech sector over the past three years. Community depth, rather than transaction volume, is what preserved its value through that correction.<h2>The next layer: intelligence, not more rails</h2>For founders watching this deal, Paramdeep Singh, Founder of Long Tail Ventures, said the real signal has nothing to do with building another payments product."India already processes over 18 billion UPI transactions every month. The next opportunity is no longer building another payments app, but building intelligence on top of existing financial rails," Singh said.Singh pointed to underwriting, fraud detection, collections, compliance, treasury management and AI-powered financial tools for consumers and businesses as the most significant opportunities emerging from India's digital financial infrastructure."These are large, recurring problems where AI can materially improve cost, speed and accuracy," he said. "India's digital public infrastructure provides a unique foundation to build globally relevant companies in these areas. For founders, the challenge is no longer access to financial rails, but finding proprietary data and distribution that others cannot easily replicate."The scale of that infrastructure is not in dispute. NPCI data show India's UPI network processed 228.3 billion transactions during 2025, up 29.3 per cent by volume year on year. The rails are built, and the question now is who builds the intelligence layer on top of them.<h2>The data question regulators will watch</h2>The deal does raise a question that India's regulatory architecture will need to answer over time.CRED holds one of the richest repositories of consumer financial behaviour data in India, including credit card repayment histories, spending patterns, borrowing behaviour and UPI transaction data, all tied to the country's most creditworthy consumer segment. Meta, as a minority investor without a board seat, has said it will have no access to that member data, a structural choice designed to address the data sovereignty concerns that have historically made Indian regulators cautious about foreign technology companies expanding into financial services.India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 is the governing framework for how platforms handle consumer data of this nature. Its rules covering consent managers and Significant Data Fiduciaries are still being operationalised. Whether the current architecture of the Meta-CRED deal satisfies the RBI and NPCI as WhatsApp's financial services ambitions continue to grow will be a question that regulators, and the market, will be watching closely.

With WhatsApp Pay holding less than 1% of India's UPI market despite 500 million users, the deal of  $900 million investment by Meta in CRED is less about money and more about a payments problem Meta has spent six years failing to solve.

Meta Platforms has agreed to invest $900 million in Indian fintech startup CRED, acquiring an approximately 20 per cent minority stake and valuing the Bengaluru-based company at $4.5 billion. At the same time, CRED founder Kunal Shah has been appointed global head of WhatsApp, succeeding Will Cathcart, who led the platform for nearly seven years. The deal is the single largest strategic investment by a global technology major in India's consumer financial services sector. But the number that matters most is not $900 million. It is 0.65 per cent. What Meta actually bought CRED is not a platform built for everyone, and it was never meant to be. The company admits only Indians with CIBIL credit scores above 750, a threshold that excludes the vast majority of the population and leaves roughly 17 million members who collectively represent the country's most financially active consumer segment. These are people who pay their credit card bills on time, borrow responsibly, and spend at a scale that makes them disproportionately valuable to any financial platform trying to build depth rather than just volume. The platform processes more than 40 per cent of India's credit card bill payments. Over time, it has expanded into personal loans, insurance, e-commerce and investment products. In March 2026, the Reserve Bank of India granted CRED a Payment Aggregator licence, one of the most consequential regulatory authorisations in Indian fintech, giving it the infrastructure to process payments directly for merchants. Financially, CRED ended FY25 with operating revenue of Rs 2,735 crore, up 16 per cent year on year. Operating losses narrowed by 51 per cent to Rs 298 crore. On a net basis, after accounting for non-operating expenses, including employee stock options and depreciation, losses contracted by 11.5 per cent to Rs 1,457 crore. In May 2026 alone, CRED processed 157.19 crore UPI transactions worth Rs 61,002 crore. Ashish Bhatia, Founder and CEO of India Accelerator and Co-Founder of Finvolve, said the deal should not be read as a valuation story. "People often say CRED is a credit card bill payment app. That's like saying Amazon is a bookstore," Bhatia said. "CRED became valuable because it became the platform for a particular kind of Indian: financially responsible, creditworthy and aspirational, allowing them to progressively do more things. Pay bills, yes. But also borrow, invest, shop and discover. The product kept deepening because the relationship kept deepening. That's what platforms do. That's what Meta bought." The gap Meta could not close The strategic urgency behind the deal is visible in that single number: 0.65 per cent. That is WhatsApp Pay's share of India's UPI market as of May 2026, according to data published by the National Payments Corporation of India and reported across multiple outlets. It trails PhonePe at 46.2 per cent, Google Pay at 32.7 per cent, Paytm at 7.9 per cent, and even smaller players such as Navi, super.money, BHIM, FamPay and CRED's own UPI product. For an app used by more than 500 million Indians every day, it is a number that tells its own story. India processed a record 23.2 billion UPI transactions in May 2026 alone, according to NPCI. WhatsApp was present for almost none of them in any meaningful commercial sense. The reason traces back to timing. PhonePe entered the UPI market in 2016. Google Pay followed in 2017. WhatsApp Pay did not receive full regulatory approval until 2020, by which time Indian consumers had already formed payment habits, merchants had already integrated rival platforms, and the market had already chosen its defaults. Meta has spent six years trying to close that gap. It has not. Meta has now committed more than $6.6 billion across India's digital economy: $5.7 billion for a 9.99 per cent stake in Reliance's Jio Platforms in April 2020, and $900 million for an approximately 20 per cent stake in CRED in June 2026. The Jio investment was designed to accelerate WhatsApp commerce through JioMart. That partnership remains active. WhatsApp Pay's market position, however, has not materially improved. One window, one deadline The window Meta is now targeting is not competitive. It is regulatory, and it has a closing date. India's National Payments Corporation of India requires PhonePe and Google Pay to cap their individual transaction volumes at 30 per cent of the total UPI market by 31 December 2026. Both currently exceed that threshold significantly, with PhonePe at 46.2 per cent and Google Pay at 32.7 per cent. The rule has been extended twice before, most recently on 31 December 2024, citing operational challenges. If it remains in force this time, both dominant platforms would be required to stop onboarding new users once they reach the cap, creating an opportunity that WhatsApp Pay, with Kunal Shah now leading the product globally, is better positioned than ever to seize. The shift is already beginning. The combined share of PhonePe and Google Pay fell to 79 per cent in May 2026, below 80 per cent for the first time since NPCI began publishing individual application statistics, according to Outlook Business, citing NPCI data. The top three providers collectively held 95.2 per cent of all transactions in January 2024. By May 2026, that had contracted to 87 per cent as smaller platforms steadily gained ground. NPCI also lifted the user onboarding cap on WhatsApp Pay entirely on 31 December 2024, opening UPI payments on the platform to its full Indian user base for the first time. What this means for the ecosystem The deal's implications extend well beyond WhatsApp and CRED. Bhatia said it is a signal that India's fintech market is entering a period of fundamental bifurcation and that the criteria for survival are shifting. "The ecosystem is bifurcating sharply between companies that own a real relationship with a specific community and companies that are just running transactions," he said. "The ones who survive the next cycle will be asking the right question today: not 'How do I grow faster?' but 'Which community do I truly belong to, and what more can I do for them?'" The CRED valuation trajectory illustrates this shift in numbers. The company peaked at $6.4 billion in 2022, fell to $3.5 billion in a 2025 down round, and has recovered to $4.5 billion following Meta's investment. It is a full cycle that mirrors the broader shift in sentiment across India's fintech sector over the past three years. Community depth, rather than transaction volume, is what preserved its value through that correction. The next layer: intelligence, not more rails For founders watching this deal, Paramdeep Singh, Founder of Long Tail Ventures, said the real signal has nothing to do with building another payments product. "India already processes over 18 billion UPI transactions every month. The next opportunity is no longer building another payments app, but building intelligence on top of existing financial rails," Singh said. Singh pointed to underwriting, fraud detection, collections, compliance, treasury management and AI-powered financial tools for consumers and businesses as the most significant opportunities emerging from India's digital financial infrastructure. "These are large, recurring problems where AI can materially improve cost, speed and accuracy," he said. "India's digital public infrastructure provides a unique foundation to build globally relevant companies in these areas. For founders, the challenge is no longer access to financial rails, but finding proprietary data and distribution that others cannot easily replicate." The scale of that infrastructure is not in dispute. NPCI data show India's UPI network processed 228.3 billion transactions during 2025, up 29.3 per cent by volume year on year. The rails are built, and the question now is who builds the intelligence layer on top of them. The data question regulators will watch The deal does raise a question that India's regulatory architecture will need to answer over time. CRED holds one of the richest repositories of consumer financial behaviour data in India, including credit card repayment histories, spending patterns, borrowing behaviour and UPI transaction data, all tied to the country's most creditworthy consumer segment. Meta, as a minority investor without a board seat, has said it will have no access to that member data, a structural choice designed to address the data sovereignty concerns that have historically made Indian regulators cautious about foreign technology companies expanding into financial services. India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 is the governing framework for how platforms handle consumer data of this nature. Its rules covering consent managers and Significant Data Fiduciaries are still being operationalised. Whether the current architecture of the Meta-CRED deal satisfies the RBI and NPCI as WhatsApp's financial services ambitions continue to grow will be a question that regulators, and the market, will be watching closely.

With WhatsApp Pay holding less than 1% of India's UPI market despite 500 million users, the deal of &nbsp;$900 million investment by Meta in CRED is less about money and more about a payments problem Meta has spent six years failing to solve.

With $900 million, Meta eyes at 17 million members, one regulatory window and a payments problem in India

A mango-slicing video shot on a point-of-view camera by someone in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu feeds an artificial intelligence data supply chain whose platform layer is valued at $29 billion in the US. The person who made the video- a labourer or a housewife- is paid $2.6 an hour. This cost arbitrage is pushing a boom in companies in the 'egocentric data' collection sector in India. The data collection is tedious, repetitive, yet important in the AI value chain. India is slowly becoming the egocentric data collection back office of the world. This moment in the history of technology is similar to the one that helped India's call centre boom in the 2000s. But is it back to back office status for India in the age of AI?<h2>What is egocentric data collection?</h2>Egocentric data is first-person video captured using head- or chest-mounted cameras while a person performs everyday tasks. The data collected this way is used to train AI models and humanoid robots to imitate human actions. The footage matches the viewpoint of a robot's own cameras. The data teaches the robot's AI brain the spatial relationships and movement far better than conventional third-person video.The human egocentric data collection approach is also cheaper than collecting data through robot teleoperation. One person with a wearable camera can record an entire workday, making large-scale data collection inexpensive. Benchmark datasets such as Meta's Ego4D were built largely in the West. But now, an increasing share of raw data collection is shifting to India because of cheap labour availability.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/for-rs-250-per-hour-how-indians-are-selling-their-future-to-american-ai-companies-1781541364347">'For Rs 250 per hour': How Indians are selling their future to American AI companies</a><h2>Will India become the back office of egocentric data collection?</h2>India has already emerged as a major hub for collecting, processing and annotating AI training data. Companies such as Objectways and iMerit run studios where workers record routine household and workplace activities, earning around 250 rupees an hour.The scale is significant. NASSCOM estimates India's AI data annotation industry could exceed $7 billion by 2030 and employ up to one million people. But the real value created out of this data collection lies elsewhere, often in Silicon Valley in the US. India supplies the cheap labour, while ownership of datasets, AI models, humanoid robots, and platforms remains with the foreign firms.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/it-s-happening-faster-than-expected-how-agentic-ai-is-reshaping-the-tech-industry-1781596627823">It's happening faster than expected: How Agentic AI is reshaping the tech industry</a><h2>India as the egocentric data collection capital of the world: Is it a good thing or a bad thing?</h2>For many workers, especially in the informal economy, egocentric data collection provides income. It creates opportunities in Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns of India, and offers flexible work to homemakers and first-generation graduates.The drawbacks are more structural. Most profits from this data collection accrue to AI platforms and humanoid robotics companies. Egocentric data collection helps train robots that may eventually replace many of the same manual tasks being recorded by the workers in India. And there is likely to be an expiry date on such jobs. Demand for such data from big AI and robotics firms can disappear quickly as soon as AI models and humanoid robots improve.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ai-could-help-automate-repetitive-and-routine-tasks-1782391332274/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/ai-could-help-automate-repetitive-and-routine-tasks-1782391332274/embed</a><h2>The call-centre parallel to India's data annotation industry</h2>The egocentric data collection and annotation industry's evolution resembles India's BPO boom of the 2000s. Both rely on labour arbitrage, repetitive work, and thin margins while serving foreign technology companies, which made billions in profits. Like the call-centre industry, egocentric data collection creates employment in the short term, but leaves ownership of technology and intellectual property elsewhere.Call centres generated long-term middle-class jobs, even if India remained a service provider. It also led to the growth of IT outsourcing, making IT services the single largest export of India. But the same can't be predicted about egocentric data collection.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-s-ai-problem-funding-gap-for-ai-startups-research-and-development-is-the-core-constraint-artificial-intelligence-news-1782542028012">India's AI problem: Funding gap for AI startups, research and development is the core constraint</a>&nbsp;It is a weak foundation for India's AI ambitions, as it does not create a lasting technological advantage for the country. India might be able to dominate the labour-intensive segment while missing the higher-value layers, where the real profits are.The long-term question is whether India can move beyond collecting data to owning datasets. If it does, egocentric data collection could become the first rung of a larger AI industry. If not, India risks remaining the world's AI back office while the real value is created abroad.

India is fast becoming a global hub for collecting egocentric data to train AI models and robots. For some, it's creating jobs. But who benefits in the value chain of automation?

A mango-slicing video shot on a point-of-view camera by someone in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu feeds an artificial intelligence data supply chain whose platform layer is valued at $29 billion in the US. The person who made the video- a labourer or a housewife- is paid $2.6 an hour. This cost arbitrage is pushing a boom in companies in the 'egocentric data' collection sector in India. The data collection is tedious, repetitive, yet important in the AI value chain. India is slowly becoming the egocentric data collection back office of the world. This moment in the history of technology is similar to the one that helped India's call centre boom in the 2000s. But is it back to back office status for India in the age of AI? What is egocentric data collection? Egocentric data is first-person video captured using head- or chest-mounted cameras while a person performs everyday tasks. The data collected this way is used to train AI models and humanoid robots to imitate human actions. The footage matches the viewpoint of a robot's own cameras. The data teaches the robot's AI brain the spatial relationships and movement far better than conventional third-person video. The human egocentric data collection approach is also cheaper than collecting data through robot teleoperation. One person with a wearable camera can record an entire workday, making large-scale data collection inexpensive. Benchmark datasets such as Meta's Ego4D were built largely in the West. But now, an increasing share of raw data collection is shifting to India because of cheap labour availability. Also read: 'For Rs 250 per hour': How Indians are selling their future to American AI companies Will India become the back office of egocentric data collection? India has already emerged as a major hub for collecting, processing and annotating AI training data. Companies such as Objectways and iMerit run studios where workers record routine household and workplace activities, earning around 250 rupees an hour. The scale is significant. NASSCOM estimates India's AI data annotation industry could exceed $7 billion by 2030 and employ up to one million people. But the real value created out of this data collection lies elsewhere, often in Silicon Valley in the US. India supplies the cheap labour, while ownership of datasets, AI models, humanoid robots, and platforms remains with the foreign firms. Also read: It's happening faster than expected: How Agentic AI is reshaping the tech industry India as the egocentric data collection capital of the world: Is it a good thing or a bad thing? For many workers, especially in the informal economy, egocentric data collection provides income. It creates opportunities in Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns of India, and offers flexible work to homemakers and first-generation graduates. The drawbacks are more structural. Most profits from this data collection accrue to AI platforms and humanoid robotics companies. Egocentric data collection helps train robots that may eventually replace many of the same manual tasks being recorded by the workers in India. And there is likely to be an expiry date on such jobs. Demand for such data from big AI and robotics firms can disappear quickly as soon as AI models and humanoid robots improve. https://www.wionews.com/videos/ai-could-help-automate-repetitive-and-routine-tasks-1782391332274/embed The call-centre parallel to India's data annotation industry The egocentric data collection and annotation industry's evolution resembles India's BPO boom of the 2000s. Both rely on labour arbitrage, repetitive work, and thin margins while serving foreign technology companies, which made billions in profits. Like the call-centre industry, egocentric data collection creates employment in the short term, but leaves ownership of technology and intellectual property elsewhere. Call centres generated long-term middle-class jobs, even if India remained a service provider. It also led to the growth of IT outsourcing, making IT services the single largest export of India. But the same can't be predicted about egocentric data collection. Also read: India's AI problem: Funding gap for AI startups, research and development is the core constraint It is a weak foundation for India's AI ambitions, as it does not create a lasting technological advantage for the country. India might be able to dominate the labour-intensive segment while missing the higher-value layers, where the real profits are. The long-term question is whether India can move beyond collecting data to owning datasets. If it does, egocentric data collection could become the first rung of a larger AI industry. If not, India risks remaining the world's AI back office while the real value is created abroad.

India is fast becoming a global hub for collecting egocentric data to train AI models and robots. For some, it's creating jobs. But who benefits in the value chain of automation?

What is egocentric data? Will india become world's back office for egocentric data collection? is it a good thing or a bad thing?

Artificial Intelligence firm Anthropic recently showed some US lawmakers a demo of its Mythos model, which could identify vulnerabilities in the websites, intranets, and online systems of banking and financial institutions, among other things. The model could either fix those vulnerabilities or exploit them, potentially enabling the theft of funds from bank accounts. Andrew Garbarino, one of the lawmakers who attended the demonstration, has now spoken publicly, expressing alarm at what was shown.<h2>What House Homeland Security Committee Chair Andrew Garbarino said about Anthropic's controversial Mythos model</h2>"They showed us what it could do, and it's scary," Representative Andrew Garbarino, a New York Republican and Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, told Punchbowl News during its "Fly Out Day" programme.Garbarino said the closed-door demonstration left him shaken. During the demo, Anthropic "told the model to find a vulnerability in a bank and empty accounts, and then it went and did it," Garbarino told Punchbowl. He added that Mythos was then able to identify the vulnerability and fix it.<h2>Republican Congressman Garbarino wants the government to act on AI</h2>Garbarino said he wants Washington to move quickly on AI. The Anthropic demo showed that the government must "act soon", he said, while also acknowledging the challenges involved."I say act, but I don't know what the answer is," Garbarino said, admitting that lawmakers have been slow to respond to developments in AI. "We don't know what we have to do," he said, adding, "I'd say 95 per cent of my colleagues don't understand what the hell's going on."<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-treasury-to-test-anthropic-s-mythos-for-cyber-risks-1776229191378/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-treasury-to-test-anthropic-s-mythos-for-cyber-risks-1776229191378/embed</a><h2>Momentum builds towards AI regulation</h2>Garbarino praised US President Donald Trump's executive order directing federal agencies to prepare for AI-driven cyber threats. He also backed a discussion draft released by Representatives Jay Obernolte and Lori Trahan proposing a federal AI regulatory framework. According to Garbarino, government agencies and Congress should be given access to such advanced AI platforms before they are released to the public.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/anthropic-s-most-powerful-ai-model-gets-partial-us-approval-here-s-what-changed-1782540188737">Anthropic's most powerful AI model gets partial US approval. Here's what changed</a><h2>Demos by Anthropic, OpenAI and others are ringing alarm bells</h2>Details remain limited, but the session described by Garbarino was a private demonstration rather than a public hearing. It formed part of a broader series of briefings for US lawmakers and officials. Axios reported in April that Anthropic and OpenAI had briefed House Homeland Security Committee staff on their cyber-capable AI models during classified sessions.Garbarino's committee has also held public hearings on AI-related security issues, including a December 2025 hearing prompted by Anthropic's disclosure of a largely autonomous cyberattack linked to China.Anthropic officials also demonstrated a so-called "jailbreak", in which an AI model bypasses the safety guardrails imposed by its human developers. According to Garbarino, one unspecified model generated a plan to kidnap a lawmaker in just 30 seconds. He warned that malicious actors could use similar tools to "turn off this gas pipeline" or "increase the amount of chlorine" in a public water system. "You have the ability to not just learn how to do it, but to tell it to do it for you," he said.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-anthropic-us-now-limits-openai-s-latest-powerful-ai-model-to-domestic-users-1782514231980https://www.wionews.com/world/after-anthropic-us-now-limits-openai-s-latest-powerful-ai-model-to-domestic-users-1782514231980">After Anthropic, US now limits OpenAI's latest powerful AI model to domestic users</a><h2>What is Mythos, and how dangerous is it?</h2>Mythos is reported to be Anthropic's most advanced AI model to date. Owing to its capabilities, the company has reportedly withheld it from broad public release. The concerns centres on its ability to identify and exploit security flaws in websites, enterprise networks and other online systems. According to reports, the White House has restricted public access to Mythos and directed Anthropic to limit access to some of its most advanced AI models, including by restricting availability to certain foreign nationals, due to national security concerns.The Associated Press news agency recently reported that Mythos was able to identify vulnerabilities in classified US government systems as part of Anthropic's Project Glasswing, a limited deployment of the model to selected organisations for testing. During a US Senate hearing on 11 June, Senator Mark Warner said the tool "broke into almost all of our classified systems, not in weeks but in hours", underscoring lawmakers' concerns about the cybersecurity risks posed by highly capable AI systems.

US Congressman Andrew Garbarino revealed in an interview that Anthropic's Mythos AI model demonstrated the ability to find and exploit banking vulnerabilities. He is asking for regulation. So are many others in the government and private sectors

Artificial Intelligence firm Anthropic recently showed some US lawmakers a demo of its Mythos model, which could identify vulnerabilities in the websites, intranets, and online systems of banking and financial institutions, among other things. The model could either fix those vulnerabilities or exploit them, potentially enabling the theft of funds from bank accounts. Andrew Garbarino, one of the lawmakers who attended the demonstration, has now spoken publicly, expressing alarm at what was shown. What House Homeland Security Committee Chair Andrew Garbarino said about Anthropic's controversial Mythos model "They showed us what it could do, and it's scary," Representative Andrew Garbarino, a New York Republican and Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, told Punchbowl News during its "Fly Out Day" programme. Garbarino said the closed-door demonstration left him shaken. During the demo, Anthropic "told the model to find a vulnerability in a bank and empty accounts, and then it went and did it," Garbarino told Punchbowl. He added that Mythos was then able to identify the vulnerability and fix it. Republican Congressman Garbarino wants the government to act on AI Garbarino said he wants Washington to move quickly on AI. The Anthropic demo showed that the government must "act soon", he said, while also acknowledging the challenges involved. "I say act, but I don't know what the answer is," Garbarino said, admitting that lawmakers have been slow to respond to developments in AI. "We don't know what we have to do," he said, adding, "I'd say 95 per cent of my colleagues don't understand what the hell's going on." https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-treasury-to-test-anthropic-s-mythos-for-cyber-risks-1776229191378/embed Momentum builds towards AI regulation Garbarino praised US President Donald Trump's executive order directing federal agencies to prepare for AI-driven cyber threats. He also backed a discussion draft released by Representatives Jay Obernolte and Lori Trahan proposing a federal AI regulatory framework. According to Garbarino, government agencies and Congress should be given access to such advanced AI platforms before they are released to the public. Also read: Anthropic's most powerful AI model gets partial US approval. Here's what changed Demos by Anthropic, OpenAI and others are ringing alarm bells Details remain limited, but the session described by Garbarino was a private demonstration rather than a public hearing. It formed part of a broader series of briefings for US lawmakers and officials. Axios reported in April that Anthropic and OpenAI had briefed House Homeland Security Committee staff on their cyber-capable AI models during classified sessions. Garbarino's committee has also held public hearings on AI-related security issues, including a December 2025 hearing prompted by Anthropic's disclosure of a largely autonomous cyberattack linked to China. Anthropic officials also demonstrated a so-called "jailbreak", in which an AI model bypasses the safety guardrails imposed by its human developers. According to Garbarino, one unspecified model generated a plan to kidnap a lawmaker in just 30 seconds. He warned that malicious actors could use similar tools to "turn off this gas pipeline" or "increase the amount of chlorine" in a public water system. "You have the ability to not just learn how to do it, but to tell it to do it for you," he said. Also read: After Anthropic, US now limits OpenAI's latest powerful AI model to domestic users What is Mythos, and how dangerous is it? Mythos is reported to be Anthropic's most advanced AI model to date. Owing to its capabilities, the company has reportedly withheld it from broad public release. The concerns centres on its ability to identify and exploit security flaws in websites, enterprise networks and other online systems. According to reports, the White House has restricted public access to Mythos and directed Anthropic to limit access to some of its most advanced AI models, including by restricting availability to certain foreign nationals, due to national security concerns. The Associated Press news agency recently reported that Mythos was able to identify vulnerabilities in classified US government systems as part of Anthropic's Project Glasswing, a limited deployment of the model to selected organisations for testing. During a US Senate hearing on 11 June, Senator Mark Warner said the tool "broke into almost all of our classified systems, not in weeks but in hours", underscoring lawmakers' concerns about the cybersecurity risks posed by highly capable AI systems.

US Congressman Andrew Garbarino revealed that Anthropic's Mythos AI model demonstrated the ability to find and exploit banking vulnerabilities. He is asking for regulation. So are many others in the government and private sectors

'They showed us what it could do, and it's scary': Congressman on Anthropic Mythos model demo

"Did India miss the AI bus?" This is a frequently asked question at recent artificial intelligence-related events in India. Clearly, the progress has been slow. But what is the reason? The answer may lie in how low, and slow, the investment has been in AI startups, foundational AI model development, and research and development (R&amp;D). Here is a status report:<h2>India's research and development funding gap</h2>India's gross expenditure on research and development (GERD) is around 0.64 per cent of GDP. This is below the global average and far behind China, at around 2.6 per cent, and the US, at around 3.6 per cent, according to the <a href="https://power.lowyinstitute.org/data/economic-capability/technology/rnd-spending-of-gdp/">Lowy Institute</a>. Private industry funds only about 36 per cent of total R&amp;D in India, compared with more than 70 per cent in the US, China and South Korea, according to a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace analysis. It also noted that India trails the two top AI leader nations in AI patents granted, reflecting not only a spending gap but also a quality gap.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-s-digital-paradox-world-class-talent-third-world-capital-wion-expert-speak-1781084191225">India's digital paradox: World-class talent, third-world capital | WION Expert Speak</a><h2>Investment in AI startups in India reveals a capital chasm</h2>Indian AI startups raised $643 million across 100 deals in 2025, up just 4.1 per cent, while AI funding in US startups surged 141 per cent to $121 billion across 765 rounds, according to Tracxn data reported by <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/27/india-startup-funding-hits-11b-in-2025-as-investors-grow-more-selective/">TechCrunch</a>. Indian capital largely favoured application-led firms over capital-intensive foundational model developers. Investors attribute this to India's lack of large foundational AI model companies and the time required to build research depth, talent pipelines and patient capital.However, there has been a sharp upturn in 2026. Indian AI startups raised <a href="https://www.analyticsinsight.net/amp/story/startups/how-indian-ai-startups-raised-394-billion-in-just-three-months">$3.94 billion</a> in the first quarter of this year alone, more than six times the full-year 2025 total. This was led by Neysa's $600 million funding round and the momentum generated by the AI Impact Summit hosted by India, according to Analytics Insight.New Delhi has reinforced this shift with a $1.15 billion Fund of Funds and a Rs 1 trillion ($12 billion) Research, Development and Innovation scheme spanning AI, quantum computing and deep-tech technologies, as reported by TechCrunch.Much of this remains at the policy announcement and reporting stage, so its long-term durability remains to be seen. However, it is fair to say that the direction has clearly reversed.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-s-ai-problem-gaps-in-compute-hardware-infrastructure-chips-1781943963441">India's AI problem: Gaps in compute, hardware, infrastructure, chips affect readiness</a><h2>Research output: China leads, India climbs slowly</h2>China dominates high-impact research, with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's (<a href="https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/aspis-critical-technology-tracker-2025-updates-and-10-new-technologies/">ASPI</a>) Critical Technology Tracker, published in December 2025, showing China leading in 66 of 74 critical technologies like AI. India is slowly climbing up, having ranked 50th, up from 43rd a year earlier. India's weakness is concentrated in compute infrastructure and frontier AI model categories that matter most, rather than in the breadth of its research base.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/how-india-is-positioning-itself-in-an-ai-world-wion-1771597788504/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/how-india-is-positioning-itself-in-an-ai-world-wion-1771597788504/embed</a><h2>Foundational AI: India's sovereign model bet</h2>India's foundational AI model push has been stuck in the planning stage for years, but is now moving towards <a href=" https://explainx.ai/blog/india-sovereign-ai-status-indiaai-mission-2026">execution</a>. <a href=" https://www.sarvam.ai/blogs/sarvam-30b-105b">Sarvam AI </a>was selected under the IndiaAI Mission in April 2025 to build the country's first sovereign large language model (LLM) ecosystem. Sarvam's original mandate was to build a 120-billion-parameter model. It <a href="https://www.opensourceforu.com/2026/03/sarvam-releases-30b-and-105b-llms-under-apache-2-0/">released</a> two open-source models in early 2026, Sarvam-30B and Sarvam-105B, under the Apache 2.0 licence on Hugging Face and AIKosh. Both are mixture-of-experts (MoE) reasoning models trained from scratch using government-supported compute infrastructure. A separate awardee, Soket AI, retains the original 120-billion-parameter model mandate.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/forget-building-ai-india-is-yet-to-build-its-first-fully-indigenous-computer-or-mobile-phone-1781750813969">Forget building AI, India is yet to build its first fully indigenous computer or mobile phone</a> These should be viewed alongside the limitations. Sarvam's models were trained on a few thousand graphics processing units (GPUs) over several months, far below the cluster-months of more than 10,000 GPUs typically required for frontier-scale AI training. In addition, all sovereign model training continues to rely on imported NVIDIA chips, highlighting India's dependence on foreign semiconductor hardware. While India has now demonstrated that it can build and release competitive open-source AI models, closing the capability gap in frontier-scale AI systems remains the more difficult challenge.

India's AI progress has been constrained by low R&D spending and limited startup funding. The IndiaAI Mission and sovereign AI model efforts signal a significant shift in direction. Here is a status report

"Did India miss the AI bus?" This is a frequently asked question at recent artificial intelligence-related events in India. Clearly, the progress has been slow. But what is the reason? The answer may lie in how low, and slow, the investment has been in AI startups, foundational AI model development, and research and development (R&D). Here is a status report: India's research and development funding gap India's gross expenditure on research and development (GERD) is around 0.64 per cent of GDP. This is below the global average and far behind China, at around 2.6 per cent, and the US, at around 3.6 per cent, according to the Lowy Institute. Private industry funds only about 36 per cent of total R&D in India, compared with more than 70 per cent in the US, China and South Korea, according to a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace analysis. It also noted that India trails the two top AI leader nations in AI patents granted, reflecting not only a spending gap but also a quality gap. Also read: India's digital paradox: World-class talent, third-world capital | WION Expert Speak Investment in AI startups in India reveals a capital chasm Indian AI startups raised $643 million across 100 deals in 2025, up just 4.1 per cent, while AI funding in US startups surged 141 per cent to $121 billion across 765 rounds, according to Tracxn data reported by TechCrunch. Indian capital largely favoured application-led firms over capital-intensive foundational model developers. Investors attribute this to India's lack of large foundational AI model companies and the time required to build research depth, talent pipelines and patient capital. However, there has been a sharp upturn in 2026. Indian AI startups raised $3.94 billion in the first quarter of this year alone, more than six times the full-year 2025 total. This was led by Neysa's $600 million funding round and the momentum generated by the AI Impact Summit hosted by India, according to Analytics Insight. New Delhi has reinforced this shift with a $1.15 billion Fund of Funds and a Rs 1 trillion ($12 billion) Research, Development and Innovation scheme spanning AI, quantum computing and deep-tech technologies, as reported by TechCrunch. Much of this remains at the policy announcement and reporting stage, so its long-term durability remains to be seen. However, it is fair to say that the direction has clearly reversed. Also read: India's AI problem: Gaps in compute, hardware, infrastructure, chips affect readiness Research output: China leads, India climbs slowly China dominates high-impact research, with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's (ASPI) Critical Technology Tracker, published in December 2025, showing China leading in 66 of 74 critical technologies like AI. India is slowly climbing up, having ranked 50th, up from 43rd a year earlier. India's weakness is concentrated in compute infrastructure and frontier AI model categories that matter most, rather than in the breadth of its research base. https://www.wionews.com/videos/how-india-is-positioning-itself-in-an-ai-world-wion-1771597788504/embed Foundational AI: India's sovereign model bet India's foundational AI model push has been stuck in the planning stage for years, but is now moving towards execution. Sarvam AI was selected under the IndiaAI Mission in April 2025 to build the country's first sovereign large language model (LLM) ecosystem. Sarvam's original mandate was to build a 120-billion-parameter model. It released two open-source models in early 2026, Sarvam-30B and Sarvam-105B, under the Apache 2.0 licence on Hugging Face and AIKosh. Both are mixture-of-experts (MoE) reasoning models trained from scratch using government-supported compute infrastructure. A separate awardee, Soket AI, retains the original 120-billion-parameter model mandate. Also read: Forget building AI, India is yet to build its first fully indigenous computer or mobile phone These should be viewed alongside the limitations. Sarvam's models were trained on a few thousand graphics processing units (GPUs) over several months, far below the cluster-months of more than 10,000 GPUs typically required for frontier-scale AI training. In addition, all sovereign model training continues to rely on imported NVIDIA chips, highlighting India's dependence on foreign semiconductor hardware. While India has now demonstrated that it can build and release competitive open-source AI models, closing the capability gap in frontier-scale AI systems remains the more difficult challenge.

India's AI progress has been constrained by low R&amp;D spending and limited startup funding. The IndiaAI Mission and sovereign AI model efforts signal a significant shift in direction. Here is a status report

India's AI problem: Funding gap for AI startups, research and development is the core constraint

Asian stock markets saw sharp declines on Friday as a global selloff in technology shares intensified, resulting in South Korea's main stock index, KOSPI, falling over 8 per cent, forcing authorities to temporarily halt trading through a circuit breaker mechanism. Japan's Nikkei 225 index also fell nearly 5 per cent amid fears of recent surge in the artificial intelligence-related stocks has run too far and too fast. In addition, Hong Kong's Hang Seng also declined 2.4 per cent, the blue-chip CSI300 index of China fell by 2.9 per cent, and the Shanghai Composite lost over 2 per cent. Friday's losses came after another broad selloff across Asian markets earlier this week. The MSCI Asia-Pacific index, excluding Japan, declined 3.8 per cent, marking the biggest weekly decline in more than a year. This followed a strong rally in regional markets earlier in the quarter.<h3>Why the sudden fall of Asian stock markets?</h3>The development unfolded after American technology giant Apple announced to jack up prices of some of its product lines by as much as 20 per cent. It raised prices across its iPad and MacBook, citing a rise in chip costs due to the recent global AI surge. Apple has also increased prices across TVs and HomePods. Additionally, the Asian market tanked as the South Korean government announced to tax unrealised gains on equities, which weighed on sentiment for AI and chip-related stocks. Following the announcement on Thursday, it triggered panic across markets, prompting investors to opt to reduce their exposures in AI and tech stocks. The Nasdaq Composite index in the US fell by 0.5 per cent overnight. Similarly, Apple's shares declined by more than 6 per cent. Competitor Dell declined 5.5 per cent, and the rest of the other big tech stocks in the US also ended lower. In Asia, shares of SK Hynix tumbled more than 8 per cent on Friday, while TSMC and Samsung recorded losses between 2 and 5 per cent.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/ai-is-making-xbox-consoles-more-expensive-here-s-why-microsoft-raised-prices-1782460762910">AI is making Xbox consoles more expensive. Here's why Microsoft raised prices</a><h3>Shortages of graphics and memory chips</h3>The decline comes as companies worldwide continue to grapple with rising costs and shortages of graphics and memory chips. The global semiconductor industry is largely dominated by major players such as SK Hynix, Samsung and Micron Technology. These manufacturers have increasingly prioritised the production of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips used in AI data centres because they generate higher profits. As a result, production capacity for chips commonly used in consumer electronics—including smartphones, personal computers, laptops and other devices—has been significantly reduced. The shift has contributed to a shortage of consumer-grade chips, driving up prices across the electronics sector. The situation, often referred to as the "RAMageddon" shortage, has prompted companies such as HP Inc., Dell Technologies and ASUS to increase prices. Shortly after Apple announced price hikes on Monday, gaming giant Xbox also revealed price increases of up to 25 per cent, marking its second such move within a year. Industry experts also underscored that Asian stock markets have come under intense pressure in recent months due to geopolitical tensions, soaring oil prices, and growing competition from China, along with concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) valuations. Reacting to the recent development in Asia's overall stock market, Harsha Vardhana VM, Founder and CEO of Atom Financial Services Group, said the current selloff is driven not only by a single factor but several challenges hitting the markets simultaneously. "Oil is probably the most straightforward piece. Once the US-Iran conflict pushed crude past $100 a barrel, the damage spread quickly and widely. South Korea, Japan, and India do not produce enough oil domestically to absorb that kind of price move without feeling it. Companies saw their costs go up. Households started pulling back on spending. And then the Federal Reserve, watching energy keep inflation elevated, found itself with fewer reasons to cut rates. A cautious Fed means a stronger dollar, and a stronger dollar is generally bad news for Asian currencies and the foreign investors who hold Asian assets. So what started as a geopolitical shock in the Middle East ended up sitting in the profit margins of a Korean steelmaker or an Indian airline. That is how connected these things are," Harsha Vardhana VM said.&nbsp;WATCH: https://www.wionews.com/videos/france-intercepts-suspected-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-at-sea-1782474149108/embed<h3>AI rally loses momentum</h3>The technology sector, which powered most of the market of Asia gains in 2025, has also become a source of concern. South Korea and Taiwan benefited enormously from the booming demand for semiconductors and AI-related technologies. However, investors are now having several questions about whether stock prices accurately reflect company earnings. According to Vardhana, valuations in the semiconductor sector became increasingly disconnected from fundamentals. "The AI story is a bit more uncomfortable to tell, because it involves markets getting carried away with a genuinely real theme. South Korea and Taiwan had a spectacular 2025. The world wanted semiconductors, and these were the countries that made them. But at some point, the valuations stopped reflecting what companies were actually earning and started reflecting what investors hoped they would earn. When Broadcom came out in early June with AI chip revenue that fell short of expectations, it was not a disaster on its own. But it was enough to remind everyone that the earnings story had not quite caught up to the price story, and valuations were stretched too. In markets priced the way those were, that reminder tends to be expensive," he said. "Most of the coverage around the Asian selloff has focused on oil prices and chip stocks, and those are fair explanations as far as they go. But there is a bigger and more unsettling story sitting underneath all of it that is not getting the attention it deserves. For a long time, the Asian growth story rested on a fairly comfortable assumption. Countries like South Korea, Taiwan and Japan had built real advantages in industries the world depended on. What 2026 is starting to reveal is that some of that advantage was genuinely earned, and some of it was there simply because China had not yet decided to show up and compete for it," he added.<h3>China's growing competitive challenge</h3>Beyond short-term concerns over oil prices and technology stocks, Vardhana believes a more significant structural shift is taking place across Asia. For decades, countries such as South Korea, Taiwan and Japan built strong competitive advantages in sectors ranging from semiconductors and batteries to automobiles and shipbuilding. However, China is increasingly challenging that dominance. "What 2026 is starting to reveal is that some of that advantage was genuinely earned, and some of it was there simply because China had not yet decided to show up and compete for it. South Korea is the place where this is most stark. The country built its entire economic identity around a handful of industries. Semiconductors. Displays. Batteries. Automobiles. Shipbuilding. For decades, these were South Korean industries, and that was more or less taken for granted. Chinese firms have reportedly now overtaken South Korea in seven of those eight categories. Not nibbled away at the edges. Overtaken. And the money knew this before the headlines did. Foreign investors had been quietly selling out of Samsung for months before the big crash. &nbsp;The 12.2% single-day fall in the KOSPI in March was not a shock to anyone who had been paying attention. It was more like a conclusion that markets had been slowly writing for a while and finally signed off on," Vardhana said. He added that China's own equity markets have their problems; however, separate from the role of the Shanghai Composite on any given day, the competitive pressure that Chinese manufacturers are putting on the rest of the region is not a cyclical thing. Vardhana noted that it does not ease when sentiment improves or when a ceasefire stops, as it is a slow, structural reshaping of who makes what and at what price. That is the part of this story worth sitting with.<h3>What does it mean for India?</h3>India faces a different set of challenges. While the country has benefited from domestic growth drivers such as interest rate cuts, recovering consumption and government-led infrastructure spending, valuations remain demanding. Vardhana warned that Indian equities have little room for disappointment. "India is caught in the crossfire even though its problems are different in nature. The domestic fundamentals, rate cuts, a recovering consumption cycle, and a government capex push are still intact. But at a forward P/E of 23 times, there is no room for earnings to disappoint in the second half of the year. Clients with heavy exposure to global tech funds or IT-heavy portfolios should be looking at rebalancing toward domestic consumption and quality financials. Gold deserves a place in the allocation while oil and geopolitical risk remain elevated. And anyone waiting for FII flows to rescue Indian markets in the near term should probably plan around domestic conviction instead," he further said.

Industry experts highlighted that Asian stock markets have come under intense pressure in recent months due to geopolitical tensions, soaring oil prices, and growing competition from China, along with concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) valuations. 

Asian stock markets saw sharp declines on Friday as a global selloff in technology shares intensified, resulting in South Korea's main stock index, KOSPI, falling over 8 per cent, forcing authorities to temporarily halt trading through a circuit breaker mechanism. Japan's Nikkei 225 index also fell nearly 5 per cent amid fears of recent surge in the artificial intelligence-related stocks has run too far and too fast. In addition, Hong Kong's Hang Seng also declined 2.4 per cent, the blue-chip CSI300 index of China fell by 2.9 per cent, and the Shanghai Composite lost over 2 per cent. Friday's losses came after another broad selloff across Asian markets earlier this week. The MSCI Asia-Pacific index, excluding Japan, declined 3.8 per cent, marking the biggest weekly decline in more than a year. This followed a strong rally in regional markets earlier in the quarter. Why the sudden fall of Asian stock markets? The development unfolded after American technology giant Apple announced to jack up prices of some of its product lines by as much as 20 per cent. It raised prices across its iPad and MacBook, citing a rise in chip costs due to the recent global AI surge. Apple has also increased prices across TVs and HomePods. Additionally, the Asian market tanked as the South Korean government announced to tax unrealised gains on equities, which weighed on sentiment for AI and chip-related stocks. Following the announcement on Thursday, it triggered panic across markets, prompting investors to opt to reduce their exposures in AI and tech stocks. The Nasdaq Composite index in the US fell by 0.5 per cent overnight. Similarly, Apple's shares declined by more than 6 per cent. Competitor Dell declined 5.5 per cent, and the rest of the other big tech stocks in the US also ended lower. In Asia, shares of SK Hynix tumbled more than 8 per cent on Friday, while TSMC and Samsung recorded losses between 2 and 5 per cent. Also read: AI is making Xbox consoles more expensive. Here's why Microsoft raised prices Shortages of graphics and memory chips The decline comes as companies worldwide continue to grapple with rising costs and shortages of graphics and memory chips. The global semiconductor industry is largely dominated by major players such as SK Hynix, Samsung and Micron Technology. These manufacturers have increasingly prioritised the production of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips used in AI data centres because they generate higher profits. As a result, production capacity for chips commonly used in consumer electronics—including smartphones, personal computers, laptops and other devices—has been significantly reduced. The shift has contributed to a shortage of consumer-grade chips, driving up prices across the electronics sector. The situation, often referred to as the "RAMageddon" shortage, has prompted companies such as HP Inc., Dell Technologies and ASUS to increase prices. Shortly after Apple announced price hikes on Monday, gaming giant Xbox also revealed price increases of up to 25 per cent, marking its second such move within a year. Industry experts also underscored that Asian stock markets have come under intense pressure in recent months due to geopolitical tensions, soaring oil prices, and growing competition from China, along with concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) valuations. Reacting to the recent development in Asia's overall stock market, Harsha Vardhana VM, Founder and CEO of Atom Financial Services Group, said the current selloff is driven not only by a single factor but several challenges hitting the markets simultaneously. "Oil is probably the most straightforward piece. Once the US-Iran conflict pushed crude past $100 a barrel, the damage spread quickly and widely. South Korea, Japan, and India do not produce enough oil domestically to absorb that kind of price move without feeling it. Companies saw their costs go up. Households started pulling back on spending. And then the Federal Reserve, watching energy keep inflation elevated, found itself with fewer reasons to cut rates. A cautious Fed means a stronger dollar, and a stronger dollar is generally bad news for Asian currencies and the foreign investors who hold Asian assets. So what started as a geopolitical shock in the Middle East ended up sitting in the profit margins of a Korean steelmaker or an Indian airline. That is how connected these things are," Harsha Vardhana VM said. WATCH: https://www.wionews.com/videos/france-intercepts-suspected-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-at-sea-1782474149108/embed AI rally loses momentum The technology sector, which powered most of the market of Asia gains in 2025, has also become a source of concern. South Korea and Taiwan benefited enormously from the booming demand for semiconductors and AI-related technologies. However, investors are now having several questions about whether stock prices accurately reflect company earnings. According to Vardhana, valuations in the semiconductor sector became increasingly disconnected from fundamentals. "The AI story is a bit more uncomfortable to tell, because it involves markets getting carried away with a genuinely real theme. South Korea and Taiwan had a spectacular 2025. The world wanted semiconductors, and these were the countries that made them. But at some point, the valuations stopped reflecting what companies were actually earning and started reflecting what investors hoped they would earn. When Broadcom came out in early June with AI chip revenue that fell short of expectations, it was not a disaster on its own. But it was enough to remind everyone that the earnings story had not quite caught up to the price story, and valuations were stretched too. In markets priced the way those were, that reminder tends to be expensive," he said. "Most of the coverage around the Asian selloff has focused on oil prices and chip stocks, and those are fair explanations as far as they go. But there is a bigger and more unsettling story sitting underneath all of it that is not getting the attention it deserves. For a long time, the Asian growth story rested on a fairly comfortable assumption. Countries like South Korea, Taiwan and Japan had built real advantages in industries the world depended on. What 2026 is starting to reveal is that some of that advantage was genuinely earned, and some of it was there simply because China had not yet decided to show up and compete for it," he added. China's growing competitive challenge Beyond short-term concerns over oil prices and technology stocks, Vardhana believes a more significant structural shift is taking place across Asia. For decades, countries such as South Korea, Taiwan and Japan built strong competitive advantages in sectors ranging from semiconductors and batteries to automobiles and shipbuilding. However, China is increasingly challenging that dominance. "What 2026 is starting to reveal is that some of that advantage was genuinely earned, and some of it was there simply because China had not yet decided to show up and compete for it. South Korea is the place where this is most stark. The country built its entire economic identity around a handful of industries. Semiconductors. Displays. Batteries. Automobiles. Shipbuilding. For decades, these were South Korean industries, and that was more or less taken for granted. Chinese firms have reportedly now overtaken South Korea in seven of those eight categories. Not nibbled away at the edges. Overtaken. And the money knew this before the headlines did. Foreign investors had been quietly selling out of Samsung for months before the big crash. The 12.2% single-day fall in the KOSPI in March was not a shock to anyone who had been paying attention. It was more like a conclusion that markets had been slowly writing for a while and finally signed off on," Vardhana said. He added that China's own equity markets have their problems; however, separate from the role of the Shanghai Composite on any given day, the competitive pressure that Chinese manufacturers are putting on the rest of the region is not a cyclical thing. Vardhana noted that it does not ease when sentiment improves or when a ceasefire stops, as it is a slow, structural reshaping of who makes what and at what price. That is the part of this story worth sitting with. What does it mean for India? India faces a different set of challenges. While the country has benefited from domestic growth drivers such as interest rate cuts, recovering consumption and government-led infrastructure spending, valuations remain demanding. Vardhana warned that Indian equities have little room for disappointment. "India is caught in the crossfire even though its problems are different in nature. The domestic fundamentals, rate cuts, a recovering consumption cycle, and a government capex push are still intact. But at a forward P/E of 23 times, there is no room for earnings to disappoint in the second half of the year. Clients with heavy exposure to global tech funds or IT-heavy portfolios should be looking at rebalancing toward domestic consumption and quality financials. Gold deserves a place in the allocation while oil and geopolitical risk remain elevated. And anyone waiting for FII flows to rescue Indian markets in the near term should probably plan around domestic conviction instead," he further said.

Industry experts highlighted that Asian stock markets have come under intense pressure in recent months due to geopolitical tensions, soaring oil prices, and growing competition from China, along with concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) valuations.&nbsp;

From South Korea to Japan: Why are Asian stock markets bleeding billions? Expert reveals shocking details

What could be called 'artificial intelligence cannibalism' is allegedly being committed by Chinese AI firms targeting American AI company Anthropic. In a recent formal complaint, Anthropic publicly accused Chinese tech giant Alibaba's Qwen AI lab of conducting the largest known "adversarial distillation attack" to extract capabilities from its widely used Claude AI models. How does AI distillation work? Here is what you should know.<h2>What is Anthropic accusing Alibaba of doing?</h2>Ahead of the upcoming US Senate hearing on artificial intelligence, Anthropic sent a letter on &nbsp;June 10 to US Senators Tim Scott and Elizabeth Warren of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/anthropic-says-alibaba-illicitly-extracted-claude-ai-model-capabilities-2026-06-24/">alleging </a>that millions of ‘AI distillation’ attacks were carried out by Alibaba's AI wing on Claude.The letter claimed that operators linked to Alibaba and its Qwen AI lab used approximately 25,000 fraudulent accounts to generate more than 28.8 million exchanges with Claude models. These exchanges consisted of interactions and prompts submitted to the AI model over a six-week period between 22 April and 5 June 2026. &nbsp;Anthropic described the attacks as an effort to "brazenly and illicitly" extract Claude's capabilities and called it the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/anthropic-claims-alibaba-ran-brazen-campaign-to-access-its-claude-ai-model-69d7a392">largest known </a>distillation attack against the company to date.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/are-ai-tools-reducing-people-s-critical-thinking-skills-1777272249863">Are AI tools reducing people’s critical thinking skills?</a><h2>What is an 'adversarial distillation attack'?</h2>An adversarial distillation attack is a technique in which a stronger AI model—in this case Claude—is queried at scale to collect high-quality responses and outputs from it. These responses are then used to train or improve weaker or less capable AI models. This method allows attackers to replicate advanced capabilities of large language models (LLMs), including reasoning, coding and agentic behaviour, at a fraction of the original training cost, without direct access to the model's weights or architecture.AI model distillation is increasingly being used as a low-cost method by competitors, particularly those facing computing or AI chip-related sanctions, to narrow the gap with leading US AI laboratories such as Anthropic, OpenAI and Google. Anthropic has been increasingly vocal about these threats.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/ai-is-making-your-next-macbook-more-expensive-here-s-why-1782458264297">AI is making your next MacBook more expensive. Here's why</a><h2>Alibaba allegedly targeted Anthropic's agentic reasoning, autonomous and coding capabilities</h2>In the letter, Anthropic claimed that the alleged distillation campaign from China specifically targeted Claude's most valuable and commercially sensitive capabilities, including software engineering, coding, agentic reasoning, autonomous decision-making and task handling. According to the company, Claude's ability to perform long-horizon and complex tasks, as well as its advanced reasoning capabilities, were also targeted.Anthropic said these actions violated its terms of service and geographic access restrictions, given that Claude is not officially available in China, while allegedly ignoring repeated US government warnings about AI intellectual property theft.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/debate-continues-over-ai-s-impact-on-human-jobs-summer-davos-1782373302795/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/debate-continues-over-ai-s-impact-on-human-jobs-summer-davos-1782373302795/embed</a><h2>Past instances of AI distillation attacks targeting Anthropic</h2>This is not the first time that American AI companies have faced alleged distillation attacks. In February 2026, Anthropic publicly identified similar, although smaller-scale, campaigns by other Chinese AI labs. The company allegedly recorded around 150,000 exchanges from DeepSeek, more than 3.4 million exchanges from Moonshot AI, and approximately 13 million exchanges from MiniMax. These campaigns were significantly smaller than Alibaba's alleged 28.8 million exchanges.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ai-washing-is-here-fake-product-claims-citing-ai-as-cause-of-layoffs-and-more-and-no-ai-won-t-cure-diseases-doctors-will-1782370454223">'AI Washing': Fake product claims, citing AI as cause of layoffs, and more. And no, AI won't cure diseases, doctors will</a><h2>White House accusations of Chinese "industrial-scale" AI intellectual property theft</h2>Shortly after Anthropic sent the letter, the US Department of Commerce, on June 12, imposed restrictions on access to the company's newest AI models, Mythos and Fable, citing concerns that they could be used by military and intelligence entities in China and other countries of concern. Anthropic subsequently disabled global access to those models.Around the same time, Alibaba was added to the US Department of Defense's list of Chinese military companies, alongside several other Chinese firms. Alibaba is challenging that designation.Anthropic has called for coordinated government-industry action, greater threat intelligence sharing and stronger penalties to protect US leadership in artificial intelligence.The company has also expressed support for US government's efforts to combat AI intellectual property theft and reaffirmed its commitment to working with Congress and the administration on the issue. Alibaba's shares reportedly fell by around 3 per cent following news of the allegations, while the controversy renewed debate over national security, intellectual property protection and the global AI arms race.

Anthropic accused Alibaba's Qwen AI lab of carrying out the largest known AI 'distillation attack' on Claude. Millions of interactions were used to extract advanced AI capabilities, it claimed. But what is a distillation attack?

What could be called 'artificial intelligence cannibalism' is allegedly being committed by Chinese AI firms targeting American AI company Anthropic. In a recent formal complaint, Anthropic publicly accused Chinese tech giant Alibaba's Qwen AI lab of conducting the largest known "adversarial distillation attack" to extract capabilities from its widely used Claude AI models. How does AI distillation work? Here is what you should know. What is Anthropic accusing Alibaba of doing? Ahead of the upcoming US Senate hearing on artificial intelligence, Anthropic sent a letter on June 10 to US Senators Tim Scott and Elizabeth Warren of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, alleging that millions of ‘AI distillation’ attacks were carried out by Alibaba's AI wing on Claude. The letter claimed that operators linked to Alibaba and its Qwen AI lab used approximately 25,000 fraudulent accounts to generate more than 28.8 million exchanges with Claude models. These exchanges consisted of interactions and prompts submitted to the AI model over a six-week period between 22 April and 5 June 2026. Anthropic described the attacks as an effort to "brazenly and illicitly" extract Claude's capabilities and called it the largest known distillation attack against the company to date. Also read: Are AI tools reducing people’s critical thinking skills? What is an 'adversarial distillation attack'? An adversarial distillation attack is a technique in which a stronger AI model—in this case Claude—is queried at scale to collect high-quality responses and outputs from it. These responses are then used to train or improve weaker or less capable AI models. This method allows attackers to replicate advanced capabilities of large language models (LLMs), including reasoning, coding and agentic behaviour, at a fraction of the original training cost, without direct access to the model's weights or architecture. AI model distillation is increasingly being used as a low-cost method by competitors, particularly those facing computing or AI chip-related sanctions, to narrow the gap with leading US AI laboratories such as Anthropic, OpenAI and Google. Anthropic has been increasingly vocal about these threats. Also read: AI is making your next MacBook more expensive. Here's why Alibaba allegedly targeted Anthropic's agentic reasoning, autonomous and coding capabilities In the letter, Anthropic claimed that the alleged distillation campaign from China specifically targeted Claude's most valuable and commercially sensitive capabilities, including software engineering, coding, agentic reasoning, autonomous decision-making and task handling. According to the company, Claude's ability to perform long-horizon and complex tasks, as well as its advanced reasoning capabilities, were also targeted. Anthropic said these actions violated its terms of service and geographic access restrictions, given that Claude is not officially available in China, while allegedly ignoring repeated US government warnings about AI intellectual property theft. https://www.wionews.com/videos/debate-continues-over-ai-s-impact-on-human-jobs-summer-davos-1782373302795/embed Past instances of AI distillation attacks targeting Anthropic This is not the first time that American AI companies have faced alleged distillation attacks. In February 2026, Anthropic publicly identified similar, although smaller-scale, campaigns by other Chinese AI labs. The company allegedly recorded around 150,000 exchanges from DeepSeek, more than 3.4 million exchanges from Moonshot AI, and approximately 13 million exchanges from MiniMax. These campaigns were significantly smaller than Alibaba's alleged 28.8 million exchanges. Also read: 'AI Washing': Fake product claims, citing AI as cause of layoffs, and more. And no, AI won't cure diseases, doctors will White House accusations of Chinese "industrial-scale" AI intellectual property theft Shortly after Anthropic sent the letter, the US Department of Commerce, on June 12, imposed restrictions on access to the company's newest AI models, Mythos and Fable, citing concerns that they could be used by military and intelligence entities in China and other countries of concern. Anthropic subsequently disabled global access to those models. Around the same time, Alibaba was added to the US Department of Defense's list of Chinese military companies, alongside several other Chinese firms. Alibaba is challenging that designation. Anthropic has called for coordinated government-industry action, greater threat intelligence sharing and stronger penalties to protect US leadership in artificial intelligence. The company has also expressed support for US government's efforts to combat AI intellectual property theft and reaffirmed its commitment to working with Congress and the administration on the issue. Alibaba's shares reportedly fell by around 3 per cent following news of the allegations, while the controversy renewed debate over national security, intellectual property protection and the global AI arms race.

Anthropic accused Alibaba's Qwen AI lab of carrying out the largest known AI 'distillation attack' on its AI Claude model. Millions of interactions were used to extract advanced AI capabilities, it claimed. But what is a distillation attack?

‘AI Cannibalism’: Anthropic accuses Chinese tech giant Alibaba of 29 million adversarial distillation attacks. What is it?

Asian equity markets are tumbling again across all major indexes on Friday. From South Korea's Kospi, Japan's Nikkei, Taiwan's Taiex, Hong Kong's Hang Seng, to Shanghai's composite index, there was a massive sell-off as traders rushed to cash out on their AI gains. &nbsp;Following a massive 6.1 per cent overnight dive by Apple on Wall Street, institutional investors aggressively dumped AI-exposed and semiconductor equities across Asia.&nbsp;The decline was led by South Korea's Kospi, which fell by around 8 per cent, triggering another circuit breaker, the second such halt in a matter of days; it lost around $340 bn in market valuation. Kospi has seen the wildest swings over the last five days after hitting record valuation amid growing concerns about an AI bubble. The benchmark South Korean index reached at 9,385.59 points, before falling to 8,411.21 on Friday. Tokyo's Nikkei plunged more than 4.15 per cent to 69,360, losing around $355 Billion. It was the heaviest hit index with SoftBank plunging more than 13 per cent. This was followed by Taiwan's Taiex, which gave up 3.3 per cent, $127 Billion. A similar sell-off was seen in China's blue-chip CSI300 index and Hong Kong Hang Seng at $229 billion.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-kospi-black-tuesday-crash-ai-rally-fears-1782293032201">South Korea's 'Black Tuesday'- Why KOSPI suffered its worst-ever points decline</a><h2>Why is there a bloodbath in the Asian Market?</h2>The bloodbath in the Asian market followed a massive dip on Wall Street. The anatomy of the global feedback loop functioned like a mirror image as the two dragged each other down in a domino effect. On Monday night, June 22, Kospi hit its record valuation of 9,385.59 points. The next day was “Black Tuesday” when regulators issued stark leverage warnings on overextended retail ETFs. The KOSPI plunged 10 per cent, halting domestic trading via emergency circuit breakers. Tuesday afternoon, Wall Street faces an “AI Wake Up call,” Nasdaq 100 drops 2.21 per cent, Nvidia drops 4.1 per cent, and Micron sinks 13.2 per cent. On Thursday, Apple rises price of its Mac, iPad, and home device lineups. There were hikes of 15 per cent to 25 per cent, driven by exuberant demand for AI chips, triggering a massive sell-off in Apple stocks 6.1 per cent overnight. Nasdaq futures dive another 1.7 per cent amid rumours of an OpenAI IPO delay. Then on Friday, Asian investors executed a massive sell-off.Analysts are divided on calling it a signal of an AI bubble burst or a market correction. The correction camp argues that KOSPI was up 62 per cent for the quarter and the Nikkei was up 34 per cent leading into this week. So a pullback was normal. While the AI Bubble camp argues that massive AI capex without any proper demand has been a warning sign for investors. Now, delays from the OpenAI IPO are hinting at the market's ability to sustain another AI IPO. The significant indicator is the lock-up expiry of SpaceX IPO, which is due in August, when the float of 5 per cent stocks will receive additional 20 per cent, a massive supply shock. The ongoing global technology rout heavily changes how insiders will behave when the unlock gate drops.&nbsp;

Asian stock markets plunged as AI-related stocks triggered a massive sell-off following Wall Street losses. Here's what caused the sharp decline.Asian stock markets plunged as AI-related stocks triggered a massive sell-off following Wall Street losses. Here's what caused the sharp decline.

Asian equity markets are tumbling again across all major indexes on Friday. From South Korea's Kospi, Japan's Nikkei, Taiwan's Taiex, Hong Kong's Hang Seng, to Shanghai's composite index, there was a massive sell-off as traders rushed to cash out on their AI gains. Following a massive 6.1 per cent overnight dive by Apple on Wall Street, institutional investors aggressively dumped AI-exposed and semiconductor equities across Asia. The decline was led by South Korea's Kospi, which fell by around 8 per cent, triggering another circuit breaker, the second such halt in a matter of days; it lost around $340 bn in market valuation. Kospi has seen the wildest swings over the last five days after hitting record valuation amid growing concerns about an AI bubble. The benchmark South Korean index reached at 9,385.59 points, before falling to 8,411.21 on Friday. Tokyo's Nikkei plunged more than 4.15 per cent to 69,360, losing around $355 Billion. It was the heaviest hit index with SoftBank plunging more than 13 per cent. This was followed by Taiwan's Taiex, which gave up 3.3 per cent, $127 Billion. A similar sell-off was seen in China's blue-chip CSI300 index and Hong Kong Hang Seng at $229 billion. Also Read: South Korea's 'Black Tuesday'- Why KOSPI suffered its worst-ever points decline Why is there a bloodbath in the Asian Market? The bloodbath in the Asian market followed a massive dip on Wall Street. The anatomy of the global feedback loop functioned like a mirror image as the two dragged each other down in a domino effect. On Monday night, June 22, Kospi hit its record valuation of 9,385.59 points. The next day was “Black Tuesday” when regulators issued stark leverage warnings on overextended retail ETFs. The KOSPI plunged 10 per cent, halting domestic trading via emergency circuit breakers. Tuesday afternoon, Wall Street faces an “AI Wake Up call,” Nasdaq 100 drops 2.21 per cent, Nvidia drops 4.1 per cent, and Micron sinks 13.2 per cent. On Thursday, Apple rises price of its Mac, iPad, and home device lineups. There were hikes of 15 per cent to 25 per cent, driven by exuberant demand for AI chips, triggering a massive sell-off in Apple stocks 6.1 per cent overnight. Nasdaq futures dive another 1.7 per cent amid rumours of an OpenAI IPO delay. Then on Friday, Asian investors executed a massive sell-off. Analysts are divided on calling it a signal of an AI bubble burst or a market correction. The correction camp argues that KOSPI was up 62 per cent for the quarter and the Nikkei was up 34 per cent leading into this week. So a pullback was normal. While the AI Bubble camp argues that massive AI capex without any proper demand has been a warning sign for investors. Now, delays from the OpenAI IPO are hinting at the market's ability to sustain another AI IPO. The significant indicator is the lock-up expiry of SpaceX IPO, which is due in August, when the float of 5 per cent stocks will receive additional 20 per cent, a massive supply shock. The ongoing global technology rout heavily changes how insiders will behave when the unlock gate drops.

Asian stock markets plunged as AI-related stocks triggered a massive sell-off following Wall Street losses. Here's what caused the sharp decline.

Asian stock market bloodbath: Sell-off wipes out billions across Kospi, Nikkei and Hang Seng

&nbsp;Artificial intelligence is making computers smarter. It is also making them more expensive. Apple recently increased prices for several MacBook and iPad models after memory costs surged, highlighting a growing problem across the technology industry. The company says demand for memory chips has risen so quickly that it has become difficult for consumer electronics makers to secure enough supply at reasonable prices. The shortage is largely being driven by AI companies building massive data centres to train and run increasingly powerful artificial intelligence models.<h2>Why AI needs so much memory</h2>Every AI model relies on enormous amounts of high-speed memory. Whether it is ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or other large AI systems, they all run on servers packed with advanced processors and memory chips. These chips temporarily store huge amounts of data while AI models process requests. As companies race to build larger AI systems, demand for memory has climbed sharply. Technology firms including Google, OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta are investing billions of dollars in AI infrastructure. That has increased competition for memory chips that are also used in consumer products such as laptops, tablets and smartphones.<h2>Why Apple is paying more</h2>Apple does not manufacture its own memory chips. Instead, it buys DRAM and NAND flash memory from suppliers such as Samsung, SK hynix and Micron. As AI companies place larger and more profitable orders, suppliers have shifted more production towards AI-focused hardware. That has tightened supply for consumer electronics manufacturers. Apple CEO Tim Cook recently described the situation as unlike anything he has seen during his decades in the technology industry. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Cook compared the current memory market to a "hundred-year flood" and said suppliers were passing on significant price increases because demand had outpaced available supply. According to Apple, the increase became large enough that the company had to raise prices on selected MacBook and iPad models.<h2>Why memory makers are prioritising AI</h2>The memory industry has changed dramatically over the past two years. During the slowdown in 2023, manufacturers cut investment after profits fell sharply.&nbsp;Now, demand has returned but from a different source.&nbsp;Instead of smartphones and personal computers, AI servers have become the biggest buyers of advanced memory. These customers are often willing to pay more than traditional consumer electronics companies because memory is essential for training and running AI models. That has encouraged suppliers to prioritise AI-related production, further reducing available supply for consumer devices.<h2>Could iPhones become more expensive?</h2>Apple has not announced price increases for iPhones. However, industry analysts believe the same market pressures could eventually affect other products if memory prices remain elevated.Much will depend on whether memory manufacturers expand production quickly enough to meet growing AI demand while maintaining supply for consumer electronics. For now, Apple says it hopes pricing and supply return to more normal levels.<h2>AI is changing more than software</h2>Most people associate artificial intelligence with chatbots, image generators and digital assistants. But the technology is also reshaping global supply chains. As AI companies continue spending billions on infrastructure, competition for critical components such as memory chips is becoming more intense. That means the AI boom is no longer affecting only technology companies. It is beginning to influence the price people pay for the laptops, tablets and smartphones they use every day.

AI is changing more than just the software people use every day. It is also driving up the cost of the memory chips inside laptops and tablets, forcing Apple to increase prices for some MacBook and iPad models. Here's why it is happening and what it could mean for future devices.

Artificial intelligence is making computers smarter. It is also making them more expensive. Apple recently increased prices for several MacBook and iPad models after memory costs surged, highlighting a growing problem across the technology industry. The company says demand for memory chips has risen so quickly that it has become difficult for consumer electronics makers to secure enough supply at reasonable prices. The shortage is largely being driven by AI companies building massive data centres to train and run increasingly powerful artificial intelligence models. Why AI needs so much memory Every AI model relies on enormous amounts of high-speed memory. Whether it is ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or other large AI systems, they all run on servers packed with advanced processors and memory chips. These chips temporarily store huge amounts of data while AI models process requests. As companies race to build larger AI systems, demand for memory has climbed sharply. Technology firms including Google, OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta are investing billions of dollars in AI infrastructure. That has increased competition for memory chips that are also used in consumer products such as laptops, tablets and smartphones. Why Apple is paying more Apple does not manufacture its own memory chips. Instead, it buys DRAM and NAND flash memory from suppliers such as Samsung, SK hynix and Micron. As AI companies place larger and more profitable orders, suppliers have shifted more production towards AI-focused hardware. That has tightened supply for consumer electronics manufacturers. Apple CEO Tim Cook recently described the situation as unlike anything he has seen during his decades in the technology industry. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Cook compared the current memory market to a "hundred-year flood" and said suppliers were passing on significant price increases because demand had outpaced available supply. According to Apple, the increase became large enough that the company had to raise prices on selected MacBook and iPad models. Why memory makers are prioritising AI The memory industry has changed dramatically over the past two years. During the slowdown in 2023, manufacturers cut investment after profits fell sharply. Now, demand has returned but from a different source. Instead of smartphones and personal computers, AI servers have become the biggest buyers of advanced memory. These customers are often willing to pay more than traditional consumer electronics companies because memory is essential for training and running AI models. That has encouraged suppliers to prioritise AI-related production, further reducing available supply for consumer devices. Could iPhones become more expensive? Apple has not announced price increases for iPhones. However, industry analysts believe the same market pressures could eventually affect other products if memory prices remain elevated. Much will depend on whether memory manufacturers expand production quickly enough to meet growing AI demand while maintaining supply for consumer electronics. For now, Apple says it hopes pricing and supply return to more normal levels. AI is changing more than software Most people associate artificial intelligence with chatbots, image generators and digital assistants. But the technology is also reshaping global supply chains. As AI companies continue spending billions on infrastructure, competition for critical components such as memory chips is becoming more intense. That means the AI boom is no longer affecting only technology companies. It is beginning to influence the price people pay for the laptops, tablets and smartphones they use every day.

AI is changing more than just the software people use every day. It is also driving up the cost of the memory chips inside laptops and tablets, forcing Apple to increase prices for some MacBook and iPad models. Here's why it is happening and what it could mean for future devices.

AI is making your next MacBook more expensive. Here's why

“Artificial Intelligence will cure diseases”. This is among the many AI-washing tropes being peddled by several AI evangelists and AI firms readying for stock market debuts. The situation is reminiscent of the startup boom of the mid-2010s, when every company was talking about “making the world a better place”. The world is certainly not a better place in 2026, and neither is AI going to cure diseases; doctors will. The current AI hype is allowing firms to cut jobs in the name of AI-mediated cost efficiencies and push products as 'AI-powered' when hardly any significant AI is involved. Welcome to the era of AI washing.<h2>AI washing: Definition, forms, and examples across industries</h2>AI washing is the exaggeration, misrepresentation, or false portrayal of artificial intelligence capabilities, adoption, or impact. The aim is to capitalise on investor interest, consumer demand, or media attention. This is similar to 'greenwashing', where products and services are promoted as sustainable and environmentally friendly when they are not. In AI washing, the actual AI component is limited, unproven, or entirely absent.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ai-threatens-1-in-4-jobs-worldwide-as-automation-wave-accelerates-1780304478610/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/ai-threatens-1-in-4-jobs-worldwide-as-automation-wave-accelerates-1780304478610/embed</a><h2>'AI can cure diseases': The claims versus reality in healthcare and medicine</h2>AI evangelists often claim that AI can work miracles in healthcare and medicine: revolutionary advances in diagnostics, the elimination of human medical errors, and fully personalised medicine driven by AI. While AI did achieve some genuine advances, the most ambitious claims remain far ahead of real-world outcomes.IBM Watson Health was promoted as a transformative AI platform capable of assisting with cancer diagnosis and treatment decisions. However, investigations found that many recommendations were based on hypothetical or limited datasets rather than extensive real-world clinical evidence. Several hospitals scaled back or discontinued deployments, and IBM ultimately <a href="https://newsroom.ibm.com/2022-01-21-Francisco-Partners-to-Acquire-IBMs-Healthcare-Data-and-Analytics-Assets">sold</a> major Watson Health assets in 2022. This is one of the most frequently <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchbusinessanalytics/news/252512328/IBM-offloads-Watson-Health-business-data-analytics">cited examples </a>of AI or machine-learning hype exceeding practical clinical performance.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ai-adoption-is-not-leading-to-a-job-apocalypse-or-saving-many-firms-real-money-make-haste-slowly-a-reality-check-1779961215697">AI adoption is not leading to a job apocalypse or saving many firms real money. Make haste slowly? A reality check</a>&nbsp;AI-driven drug discovery firms often advertise dramatic reductions in the time needed to develop medicines. Indeed, AI has helped identify drug candidates more quickly and improve research efficiency. Yet no major disease has been cured by AI, yet. The pharmaceutical development process - both for preventive vaccines and medicines - still requires extensive laboratory validation, animal testing, multiple phases of human clinical trials, and regulatory approval. AI can accelerate research, but it is not an autonomous medical innovator.Even in medical imaging, one of AI's genuine success stories, marketing often exceeds reality. AI systems can assist radiologists in identifying abnormalities in X-rays, CT scans, and mammograms, but most approved tools are decision-support systems rather than replacements for physicians. Human oversight remains essential because AI models can produce false positives, false negatives, and performance variations across patient populations.Headlines frequently suggest that AI can detect diseases earlier than doctors, eliminate diagnostic errors, or transform healthcare delivery. In reality, successful implementations are generally narrow, specialised, and heavily supervised by healthcare professionals.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/delighted-to-be-wrong-sam-altman-says-ai-may-not-trigger-feared-white-collar-job-apocalypse-1779801560534">‘Delighted to be wrong’: Sam Altman says AI may not trigger feared white-collar job apocalypse</a><h2>AI as an excuse for layoffs: Cost-cutting, or paying for servers from people's salaries?</h2>AI washing is extensively used to justify the ongoing large-scale workforce reductions, particularly in the technology sector. Companies frequently cite "AI-driven efficiencies" or productivity gains when announcing layoffs. In reality, the primary drivers are often traditional cost-cutting measures, post-pandemic hiring corrections, and efforts to fund expensive AI infrastructure investments such as servers, GPUs, and data centres.Technology firms have invested tens of billions of dollars in AI infrastructure, including specialised chips, power plants, and massive data centres. References to AI efficiencies often serve as a narrative that makes layoffs appear strategic, logical, and innovative. In many cases, however, the underlying motivation is financial. It is about keeping the bottom line in the green. The only cash outflow that many companies can control is the salaries of their employees. And that's where the axe falls, ofen explained out as ‘AI efficiency’.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/zoho-founder-sridhar-vembu-says-ai-giving-no-gains-tech-firms-firing-workers-for-no-real-reason-1779898670475">Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu says AI giving no gains, tech firms firing workers for no real reason</a><h2>False marketing of 'AI products': human labour disguised as AI</h2>AI washing also occurs when products marketed as autonomous AI systems rely heavily on hidden human labour. A notable example is Amazon's Just Walk Out technology, which was promoted as an AI-powered cashierless shopping experience. Reports later revealed that around 1,000 workers in India were involved in reviewing transactions and validating purchases. According to reports, approximately 700 out of every 1,000 transactions required some level of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazons-just-walk-out-actually-1-000-people-in-india-2024-4">human review.</a> The case became a prominent <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/04/amazon-ends-ai-powered-store-checkout-which-needed-1000-video-reviewers/">example </a>of human labour being obscured behind AI branding.<h2>Rebranding existing technology as AI: Another form of AI washing</h2>Increasingly, companies are rebranding and repositioning traditional software, automation systems, or statistical models as AI products. Rule-based systems, recommendation engines, and simple algorithms are frequently marketed as "AI-powered" despite using technologies that predate modern machine learning and large language models (LLMs).Many startups simply wrap existing LLMs such as ChatGPT with minimal modifications and market the resulting products and services as proprietary AI innovations. In some cases, the underlying technology is largely unchanged from the third-party model on which it depends.<h2>Fake or false AI branding of FMCG products</h2>A wide range of consumer products, from electronics to household appliances, are now marketed as AI-driven or AI-powered. Refrigerators, washing machines, robot vacuums, beauty devices, air purifiers, smart home appliances, spectacles, and watches are among the products sold as AI-enabled.The underlying functionality often consists primarily of sensors, pattern recognition, or predefined optimisation rules, many of which predate the current AI boom.Samsung's Bespoke AI appliance range, LG's AI DD washing machines, and numerous robot vacuum manufacturers advertise features such as "AI navigation". Some of these products do contain useful automation and machine-learning capabilities. However, the AI involved is frequently more limited or rudimentary than what marketing materials suggest.&nbsp;<h2>Regulators are slowly catching up with AI washing</h2>Slowly but surely, &nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/eight-legal-questions-your-ai-company--pracin-2026-06-05/">regulatory action</a> is catching up on misleading AI claims as a material disclosure issue rather than mere marketing exaggeration. In March 2024, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) <a href="https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024-36">charged</a> investment advisers Delphia (USA) Inc and Global Predictions Inc with making misleading statements about their AI capabilities, resulting in civil penalties totalling US$400,000. The SEC found that these companies overstated or falsely represented the extent of their AI-driven services.&nbsp;AI washing will continue unless the whip cracks harder on false or fake AI claims. Till then, the world will not be a better place.&nbsp;

AI washing is spreading. Fake claims, half-truths, and misleading marketing across healthcare, tech and consumer products are exaggerating AI capabilities. Layoffs are being justified as AI-driven efficiencies. Where is the truth in all this?

“Artificial Intelligence will cure diseases”. This is among the many AI-washing tropes being peddled by several AI evangelists and AI firms readying for stock market debuts. The situation is reminiscent of the startup boom of the mid-2010s, when every company was talking about “making the world a better place”. The world is certainly not a better place in 2026, and neither is AI going to cure diseases; doctors will. The current AI hype is allowing firms to cut jobs in the name of AI-mediated cost efficiencies and push products as 'AI-powered' when hardly any significant AI is involved. Welcome to the era of AI washing. AI washing: Definition, forms, and examples across industries AI washing is the exaggeration, misrepresentation, or false portrayal of artificial intelligence capabilities, adoption, or impact. The aim is to capitalise on investor interest, consumer demand, or media attention. This is similar to 'greenwashing', where products and services are promoted as sustainable and environmentally friendly when they are not. In AI washing, the actual AI component is limited, unproven, or entirely absent. https://www.wionews.com/videos/ai-threatens-1-in-4-jobs-worldwide-as-automation-wave-accelerates-1780304478610/embed 'AI can cure diseases': The claims versus reality in healthcare and medicine AI evangelists often claim that AI can work miracles in healthcare and medicine: revolutionary advances in diagnostics, the elimination of human medical errors, and fully personalised medicine driven by AI. While AI did achieve some genuine advances, the most ambitious claims remain far ahead of real-world outcomes. IBM Watson Health was promoted as a transformative AI platform capable of assisting with cancer diagnosis and treatment decisions. However, investigations found that many recommendations were based on hypothetical or limited datasets rather than extensive real-world clinical evidence. Several hospitals scaled back or discontinued deployments, and IBM ultimately sold major Watson Health assets in 2022. This is one of the most frequently cited examples of AI or machine-learning hype exceeding practical clinical performance. Also read: AI adoption is not leading to a job apocalypse or saving many firms real money. Make haste slowly? A reality check AI-driven drug discovery firms often advertise dramatic reductions in the time needed to develop medicines. Indeed, AI has helped identify drug candidates more quickly and improve research efficiency. Yet no major disease has been cured by AI, yet. The pharmaceutical development process - both for preventive vaccines and medicines - still requires extensive laboratory validation, animal testing, multiple phases of human clinical trials, and regulatory approval. AI can accelerate research, but it is not an autonomous medical innovator. Even in medical imaging, one of AI's genuine success stories, marketing often exceeds reality. AI systems can assist radiologists in identifying abnormalities in X-rays, CT scans, and mammograms, but most approved tools are decision-support systems rather than replacements for physicians. Human oversight remains essential because AI models can produce false positives, false negatives, and performance variations across patient populations. Headlines frequently suggest that AI can detect diseases earlier than doctors, eliminate diagnostic errors, or transform healthcare delivery. In reality, successful implementations are generally narrow, specialised, and heavily supervised by healthcare professionals. Also read: ‘Delighted to be wrong’: Sam Altman says AI may not trigger feared white-collar job apocalypse AI as an excuse for layoffs: Cost-cutting, or paying for servers from people's salaries? AI washing is extensively used to justify the ongoing large-scale workforce reductions, particularly in the technology sector. Companies frequently cite "AI-driven efficiencies" or productivity gains when announcing layoffs. In reality, the primary drivers are often traditional cost-cutting measures, post-pandemic hiring corrections, and efforts to fund expensive AI infrastructure investments such as servers, GPUs, and data centres. Technology firms have invested tens of billions of dollars in AI infrastructure, including specialised chips, power plants, and massive data centres. References to AI efficiencies often serve as a narrative that makes layoffs appear strategic, logical, and innovative. In many cases, however, the underlying motivation is financial. It is about keeping the bottom line in the green. The only cash outflow that many companies can control is the salaries of their employees. And that's where the axe falls, ofen explained out as ‘AI efficiency’. Also read: Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu says AI giving no gains, tech firms firing workers for no real reason False marketing of 'AI products': human labour disguised as AI AI washing also occurs when products marketed as autonomous AI systems rely heavily on hidden human labour. A notable example is Amazon's Just Walk Out technology, which was promoted as an AI-powered cashierless shopping experience. Reports later revealed that around 1,000 workers in India were involved in reviewing transactions and validating purchases. According to reports, approximately 700 out of every 1,000 transactions required some level of human review. The case became a prominent example of human labour being obscured behind AI branding. Rebranding existing technology as AI: Another form of AI washing Increasingly, companies are rebranding and repositioning traditional software, automation systems, or statistical models as AI products. Rule-based systems, recommendation engines, and simple algorithms are frequently marketed as "AI-powered" despite using technologies that predate modern machine learning and large language models (LLMs). Many startups simply wrap existing LLMs such as ChatGPT with minimal modifications and market the resulting products and services as proprietary AI innovations. In some cases, the underlying technology is largely unchanged from the third-party model on which it depends. Fake or false AI branding of FMCG products A wide range of consumer products, from electronics to household appliances, are now marketed as AI-driven or AI-powered. Refrigerators, washing machines, robot vacuums, beauty devices, air purifiers, smart home appliances, spectacles, and watches are among the products sold as AI-enabled. The underlying functionality often consists primarily of sensors, pattern recognition, or predefined optimisation rules, many of which predate the current AI boom. Samsung's Bespoke AI appliance range, LG's AI DD washing machines, and numerous robot vacuum manufacturers advertise features such as "AI navigation". Some of these products do contain useful automation and machine-learning capabilities. However, the AI involved is frequently more limited or rudimentary than what marketing materials suggest. Regulators are slowly catching up with AI washing Slowly but surely, regulatory action is catching up on misleading AI claims as a material disclosure issue rather than mere marketing exaggeration. In March 2024, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged investment advisers Delphia (USA) Inc and Global Predictions Inc with making misleading statements about their AI capabilities, resulting in civil penalties totalling US$400,000. The SEC found that these companies overstated or falsely represented the extent of their AI-driven services. AI washing will continue unless the whip cracks harder on false or fake AI claims. Till then, the world will not be a better place.

AI washing is spreading. Fake claims, half-truths, and misleading marketing across healthcare, tech and consumer products are exaggerating AI capabilities. Layoffs are being justified as AI-driven efficiencies. Where is the truth in all this?

'AI Washing': Fake product claims, citing AI as cause of layoffs, and more. And no, AI won't cure diseases, doctors will

Leading content and technology powerhouse, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (‘Z’) has achieved a record network share of 20% (15+ India Urban) in week 24 of 2026, marking an all-time high performance for the company since ~8 years. The robust viewership gains are attributed to the company’s strong entertainment portfolio, amplified by phenomenal performance of the newly launched Unite8 Sports channels.&nbsp;&nbsp;Powered by the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026, Unite8 Sports has garnered new set of 60 million viewers, emerging as the second largest linear sports portfolio in the country. The LIVE sporting action, coupled with key programming initiatives including language-based commentary, special expert analysis and football content has enabled Unite8 Sports 2 to achieve the leadership position amongst all English sports channels in India. The company’s sports portfolio has also achieved a unique reach of over 300 million across its linear platforms, Zee 5 and social platforms since June 1, 2026. With this milestone, the company has firmly positioned itself as a compelling entertainment and sports destination across platforms.&nbsp;&nbsp;Speaking about the robust performance, Bavesh Janavlekar, Chief Business Officer, Unite8 Sports, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. said, “The overwhelming response to FIFA World Cup 2026 across our platforms marks a pivotal moment for us in our journey to build a compelling sports business. We are amping up our efforts with innovative programming initiatives to keep the audiences engaged even beyond the match window as the tournament enters the key stage. The strong audience engagement further reinforces our commitment to deliver premium global content to viewers at scale and transform the sports viewing ecosystem across the country.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The linear and digital platforms of the Company, Unite8 Sports and Zee 5 continue to witness robust viewership growth. The multi-platform strength has enabled viewers to engage seamlessly across screens, firmly positioning the company at the forefront of the entertainment and sports consumption landscape.&nbsp;

Zee Entertainment achieves a record 20% network share in Week 24 of 2026, driven by FIFA World Cup 2026. Unite8 Sports adds 60 million viewers, becomes India’s second-largest sports portfolio, and reaches over 300 million audiences across TV, digital, and social platforms

Leading content and technology powerhouse, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (‘Z’) has achieved a record network share of 20% (15+ India Urban) in week 24 of 2026, marking an all-time high performance for the company since ~8 years. The robust viewership gains are attributed to the company’s strong entertainment portfolio, amplified by phenomenal performance of the newly launched Unite8 Sports channels. Powered by the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026, Unite8 Sports has garnered new set of 60 million viewers, emerging as the second largest linear sports portfolio in the country. The LIVE sporting action, coupled with key programming initiatives including language-based commentary, special expert analysis and football content has enabled Unite8 Sports 2 to achieve the leadership position amongst all English sports channels in India. The company’s sports portfolio has also achieved a unique reach of over 300 million across its linear platforms, Zee 5 and social platforms since June 1, 2026. With this milestone, the company has firmly positioned itself as a compelling entertainment and sports destination across platforms. Speaking about the robust performance, Bavesh Janavlekar, Chief Business Officer, Unite8 Sports, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. said, “The overwhelming response to FIFA World Cup 2026 across our platforms marks a pivotal moment for us in our journey to build a compelling sports business. We are amping up our efforts with innovative programming initiatives to keep the audiences engaged even beyond the match window as the tournament enters the key stage. The strong audience engagement further reinforces our commitment to deliver premium global content to viewers at scale and transform the sports viewing ecosystem across the country.” The linear and digital platforms of the Company, Unite8 Sports and Zee 5 continue to witness robust viewership growth. The multi-platform strength has enabled viewers to engage seamlessly across screens, firmly positioning the company at the forefront of the entertainment and sports consumption landscape.

Zee Entertainment records a historic 20% network share, powered by FIFA World Cup 2026, as Unite8 Sports adds 60 million viewers

Zee Entertainment hits record 20% network share, reaches new milestone with 300 million sports audience across platforms

The race to succeed Jamie Dimon has entered a new chapter. JPMorgan Chase has promoted senior executives Doug Petno and Troy Rohrbaugh to co-presidents after the unexpected departure of Marianne Lake from the succession race. The appointments give both executives greater responsibility over the bank's biggest businesses and position them as the leading internal candidates to eventually replace Dimon. The leadership changes are among the most closely watched on Wall Street because Dimon has led JPMorgan since 2006, turning it into the world's most valuable bank by market capitalisation.<h2>Why JPMorgan made the leadership changes</h2>Under the new structure, Doug Petno will become the sole Chief Executive Officer of JPMorgan's Commercial &amp; Investment Bank (CIB), while Troy Rohrbaugh will become Chief Executive Officer of Consumer &amp; Community Banking (CCB), one of the bank's largest businesses.The two executives will also serve together as co-presidents of JPMorgan. In a statement, Jamie Dimon described the appointments as an important step in the board's long-term succession planning process. The move follows the departure of Marianne Lake, who had spent years being viewed by investors and analysts as one of the strongest internal candidates to succeed Dimon.<h2>Who is Doug Petno?</h2>Doug Petno is one of JPMorgan's longest-serving senior executives. He joined the bank more than three decades ago and built his career across commercial banking, corporate lending and investment banking. Petno has played a major role in expanding JPMorgan's commercial banking business, helping serve companies ranging from middle-market businesses to multinational corporations. Before the latest promotion, he shared responsibility for leading the Commercial &amp; Investment Bank alongside Troy Rohrbaugh. He is widely regarded inside the company as an experienced operator with deep relationships across corporate banking and institutional finance.<h2>Who is Troy Rohrbaugh?</h2>Troy Rohrbaugh has built his reputation in investment banking and global markets. He previously led JPMorgan's Markets and Securities Services businesses before becoming co-head of the Commercial &amp; Investment Bank. Rohrbaugh is known for overseeing some of the bank's largest trading, capital markets and institutional client operations. Under the latest leadership changes, he will now lead Consumer &amp; Community Banking, one of JPMorgan's most important divisions serving millions of retail customers across the United States. The appointment gives him direct experience running a major consumer banking franchise an area often considered essential for any future CEO.<h2>Why Marianne Lake's exit matters</h2>Marianne Lake's departure has significantly reshaped the succession race. A former Chief Financial Officer, Lake had long been viewed as one of Wall Street's leading candidates to replace Dimon because of her experience across finance, strategy and consumer banking. Her exit effectively narrows the list of internal contenders and gives Petno and Rohrbaugh an opportunity to demonstrate their leadership across two of JPMorgan's biggest businesses.&nbsp;Jamie Dimon has repeatedly said succession planning remains one of the board's highest priorities, even though he continues to lead the bank. The promotions suggest JPMorgan is entering the final stage of preparing for leadership after Dimon. Who ultimately becomes the next CEO will likely depend on how successfully Petno and Rohrbaugh manage their expanded responsibilities over the coming years. For investors, employees and Wall Street, the competition is about more than replacing one executive. It is about ensuring that the world's largest bank by market value maintains the stability, profitability and strategic direction that defined the Dimon era.

JPMorgan has promoted Doug Petno and Troy Rohrbaugh to co-presidents after Marianne Lake's departure from the succession race. The leadership overhaul positions both executives as leading candidates to eventually replace Jamie Dimon as CEO of the banking giant.

The race to succeed Jamie Dimon has entered a new chapter. JPMorgan Chase has promoted senior executives Doug Petno and Troy Rohrbaugh to co-presidents after the unexpected departure of Marianne Lake from the succession race. The appointments give both executives greater responsibility over the bank's biggest businesses and position them as the leading internal candidates to eventually replace Dimon. The leadership changes are among the most closely watched on Wall Street because Dimon has led JPMorgan since 2006, turning it into the world's most valuable bank by market capitalisation. Why JPMorgan made the leadership changes Under the new structure, Doug Petno will become the sole Chief Executive Officer of JPMorgan's Commercial & Investment Bank (CIB), while Troy Rohrbaugh will become Chief Executive Officer of Consumer & Community Banking (CCB), one of the bank's largest businesses. The two executives will also serve together as co-presidents of JPMorgan. In a statement, Jamie Dimon described the appointments as an important step in the board's long-term succession planning process. The move follows the departure of Marianne Lake, who had spent years being viewed by investors and analysts as one of the strongest internal candidates to succeed Dimon. Who is Doug Petno? Doug Petno is one of JPMorgan's longest-serving senior executives. He joined the bank more than three decades ago and built his career across commercial banking, corporate lending and investment banking. Petno has played a major role in expanding JPMorgan's commercial banking business, helping serve companies ranging from middle-market businesses to multinational corporations. Before the latest promotion, he shared responsibility for leading the Commercial & Investment Bank alongside Troy Rohrbaugh. He is widely regarded inside the company as an experienced operator with deep relationships across corporate banking and institutional finance. Who is Troy Rohrbaugh? Troy Rohrbaugh has built his reputation in investment banking and global markets. He previously led JPMorgan's Markets and Securities Services businesses before becoming co-head of the Commercial & Investment Bank. Rohrbaugh is known for overseeing some of the bank's largest trading, capital markets and institutional client operations. Under the latest leadership changes, he will now lead Consumer & Community Banking, one of JPMorgan's most important divisions serving millions of retail customers across the United States. The appointment gives him direct experience running a major consumer banking franchise an area often considered essential for any future CEO. Why Marianne Lake's exit matters Marianne Lake's departure has significantly reshaped the succession race. A former Chief Financial Officer, Lake had long been viewed as one of Wall Street's leading candidates to replace Dimon because of her experience across finance, strategy and consumer banking. Her exit effectively narrows the list of internal contenders and gives Petno and Rohrbaugh an opportunity to demonstrate their leadership across two of JPMorgan's biggest businesses. Jamie Dimon has repeatedly said succession planning remains one of the board's highest priorities, even though he continues to lead the bank. The promotions suggest JPMorgan is entering the final stage of preparing for leadership after Dimon. Who ultimately becomes the next CEO will likely depend on how successfully Petno and Rohrbaugh manage their expanded responsibilities over the coming years. For investors, employees and Wall Street, the competition is about more than replacing one executive. It is about ensuring that the world's largest bank by market value maintains the stability, profitability and strategic direction that defined the Dimon era.

JPMorgan has promoted Doug Petno and Troy Rohrbaugh to co-presidents after Marianne Lake's departure from the succession race. The leadership overhaul positions both executives as leading candidates to eventually replace Jamie Dimon as CEO of the banking giant.

Jamie Dimon's successor race enters final phase: Who are JPMorgan's new co-presidents Doug Petno and Troy Rohrbaugh?

US e-commerce giant Amazon announced on Thursday that it would invest a total of $48 billion in India from 2026 to 2030 to expand and support its businesses, as its CEO Andy Jassy met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.&nbsp;Reiterating Amazon’s long-term commitment to India, Jassy also announced plans to invest an additional $13 billion to expand AI and cloud infrastructure in the country by 2030.&nbsp;This takes Amazon’s total planned investment in expanding and supporting AI and cloud infrastructure to over $21 billion between 2026 and 2030 (part of the $48 billion total investment), establishing it as one of the largest global AI and cloud infrastructure investors in the country.&nbsp;The investment will expand AWS data centre capacity in Mumbai and Hyderabad, giving startups, enterprises and government organisations access to custom AI chips, managed AI services, secure and reliable cloud technologies and developer tools to innovate faster, scale rapidly, and serve customers globally.&nbsp;Amazon’s cumulative investments in India from 2010 to 2030 stand at over $88 billion.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/164-dead-around-1-000-injured-after-powerful-quakes-aftershocks-rock-venezuela-1782384631734">164 dead, around 1,000 injured after powerful quakes, aftershocks rock Venezuela; toll likely to rise further</a><h2>CEO Andy Jassy praises PM Narendra Modi’s vision&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;“The Prime Minister’s vision for the last 12 years is just remarkable. You can see it in the development of the country and how important the country is in almost every aspect around the world,” said Jassy.The Amazon CEO further stated that since 2010, the tech company has invested $40 billion into India, and an additional $35 billion investment was announced last year.&nbsp;“We just announced today that we’re going to increase that amount from $35 billion to an incremental $48 billion of investment between 2026 and 2030,” said Jassy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Really enjoyed my meeting with Prime Minister <a href="https://x.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> about what’s ahead for Amazon in India. We’ve been serving customers, sellers, developers, startups, and enterprises in India for more than a decade and just getting started. Shared that we’re investing $48 billion… <a href="https://t.co/CSiwPTiEBh">pic.twitter.com/CSiwPTiEBh</a>&mdash; Andy Jassy (@ajassy) <a href="https://x.com/ajassy/status/2070056379675754958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venezuela-thanks-pm-modi-assistance-caracas-earthquakes-1782383090265">'Spirit of cooperation' :Venezuela thanks PM Modi for offering assistance after deadly Caracas earthquakes</a> “We came to India over a decade ago and have since been serving customers, sellers, developers, start-ups and enterprises through our different businesses. The response has been tremendous, with strong growth especially across our ecommerce, AI, and cloud businesses,” said Jassy. “We are investing over $48 billion in the coming five years to meet the strong demand across our business in India and to help the country achieve these priorities. We are inspired by Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a Viksit and Atmanirbhar Bharat, and we are committed to being a long-term partner in India’s growth story,” he added. “India is becoming such a significant cloud and AI hub around the world, and we have so much demand here that we’re continuing to invest in the country on the cloud side and the AI side as well,” Jassy said, adding that the investment would also bring long-term employment and economic metrics to the country. Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-records-its-hottest-june-day-beating-1957-and-1976-highs-who-warns-of-risk-to-lives-1782322982631">UK records its hottest June day, beating 1957 and 1976 highs; WHO warns of risk to lives</a> Hailing the investment announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Amazon’s additional $13 billion investment shows a growing interest in the world to invest in India. “A great meeting with Mr. Andy Jassy. I welcome Amazon’s record $48 billion investment in India. This will create new opportunities for our youth. At the same time, it shows the growing interest across the world to invest in India,” the Prime Minister posted on X. <h2>‘Amazon’s India business is on a strong growth trajectory’</h2> Jassy also remarked that Amazon’s India business is on a strong growth trajectory with strong customer demand, especially in its e-commerce and AWS business. Since its launch, Amazon has digitised 12 million small businesses in India, enabled over $20 billion in cumulative e-commerce exports, and supported 2.8 million jobs. It has also trained over 10 million Indians on cloud skills. The company has pledged to support 3.8 million jobs, $80 billion in cumulative exports, enabling AI benefits for 15 million small businesses, and AI education for 4 million government school students.

Amazon's investment will expand AWS data centre capacity in Mumbai and Hyderabad, giving startups, enterprises and government organisations access to custom AI chips, managed AI services, secure and reliable cloud technologies and developer tools to innovate faster and scale rapidly.

US e-commerce giant Amazon announced on Thursday that it would invest a total of $48 billion in India from 2026 to 2030 to expand and support its businesses, as its CEO Andy Jassy met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Reiterating Amazon’s long-term commitment to India, Jassy also announced plans to invest an additional $13 billion to expand AI and cloud infrastructure in the country by 2030. This takes Amazon’s total planned investment in expanding and supporting AI and cloud infrastructure to over $21 billion between 2026 and 2030 (part of the $48 billion total investment), establishing it as one of the largest global AI and cloud infrastructure investors in the country. The investment will expand AWS data centre capacity in Mumbai and Hyderabad, giving startups, enterprises and government organisations access to custom AI chips, managed AI services, secure and reliable cloud technologies and developer tools to innovate faster, scale rapidly, and serve customers globally. Amazon’s cumulative investments in India from 2010 to 2030 stand at over $88 billion. Also Read: 164 dead, around 1,000 injured after powerful quakes, aftershocks rock Venezuela; toll likely to rise further CEO Andy Jassy praises PM Narendra Modi’s vision “The Prime Minister’s vision for the last 12 years is just remarkable. You can see it in the development of the country and how important the country is in almost every aspect around the world,” said Jassy. The Amazon CEO further stated that since 2010, the tech company has invested $40 billion into India, and an additional $35 billion investment was announced last year. “We just announced today that we’re going to increase that amount from $35 billion to an incremental $48 billion of investment between 2026 and 2030,” said Jassy.

Amazon's investment will expand AWS data centre capacity in Mumbai and Hyderabad, giving startups, enterprises and government organisations access to custom AI chips, managed AI services, secure and reliable cloud technologies and developer tools to innovate faster and scale rapidly.

Amazon CEO meets PM Modi, says e-com giant to invest $48bn in India by 2030, expand AI, cloud infra

India’s booming hospitality sector is opening up exciting career opportunities across hotels, tourism, aviation, and luxury services. To succeed in this fast-evolving industry, students need future-ready education that blends practical learning, technology integration, and real-world industry exposure – an approach Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh is actively championing.&nbsp;We have been witnessing a boom in India’s hospitality sector. From luxury hotels and international resorts to aviation, cruise tourism, event management, and global travel brands, the industry is expanding rapidly and creating new opportunities for skilled professionals. As customer expectations evolve, hospitality employers are increasingly seeking candidates who combine operational expertise with communication skills, creativity, leadership, and service excellence. But with this shift, hospitality education is also witnessing a change. Today’s students are looking beyond traditional classroom learning and seeking programmes that offer practical exposure, industry interaction, and future-ready training. Institutions that blend experiential learning with technology-driven education are becoming the preferred choice for aspiring hospitality professionals.Among the emerging names in hospitality education,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.culko.in/">Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh</a> is building a strong reputation for offering a modern and industry-oriented learning ecosystem designed around the evolving needs of the global hospitality sector.&nbsp;<h3>Why Hospitality is Becoming a Future-Ready Career Choice</h3>&nbsp;Hospitality has steadily emerged as one of the most future-ready career options for students who enjoy working with people, managing experiences, and exploring dynamic work environments. The field opens doors to careers in hotel management, luxury services, tourism, aviation, event operations, cruise management, and even entrepreneurship. The industry also offers international exposure and long-term career growth opportunities for students with the right training and professional mindset.&nbsp;<h3>Building Industry-Ready Professionals Through Specialised Learning</h3>&nbsp;At the centre of this evolving landscape is the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.culko.in/hotel-management-and-tourism/bsc-hotel-and-hospitality-management.php?L_mx_Visit_Source=www.google.com/">B.Sc. Hospitality &amp; Hotel Management program</a> at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.culko.in/">Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh</a>, designed to prepare students for real-world hospitality careers through a balanced focus on academics, operational expertise, and personality development.&nbsp;<h3>Why Industry-Aligned Hospitality Education Matters</h3>&nbsp;One of the defining features of modern hospitality education is industry alignment. Students today require exposure to real operational environments and evolving hospitality technologies from the beginning of their academic journey. Areas such as front office operations, food and beverage services, culinary management, housekeeping operations, customer relationship management, and hospitality software training have become essential parts of professional preparation.&nbsp;One of the defining features of modern hospitality education is strong industry alignment. Students today require exposure to real operational environments and evolving hospitality technologies from the very beginning of their academic journey. Recognising this need, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, integrates practical hospitality training with industry-focused learning across key areas such as front office operations, food and beverage services, culinary management, housekeeping operations, customer relationship management, and hospitality software training. This hands-on approach ensures students graduate with the professional readiness and practical expertise required to succeed in the fast-evolving hospitality sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Integrating AI into Modern Hospitality Education</h3>&nbsp;Recognising this need, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, has developed an industry-oriented curriculum with 20 per cent AI integration, helping students understand how technology is reshaping hospitality operations and guest experiences across the globe.&nbsp;<h3>The Power of Practical Learning in Hospitality</h3>&nbsp;Practical learning also plays a major role in shaping hospitality professionals. Unlike many conventional programs that rely heavily on theoretical instruction, experiential learning helps students develop confidence, technical understanding, and service precision through hands-on exposure.&nbsp;Practical learning plays a major role in shaping hospitality professionals. Unlike many conventional programs that rely heavily on theoretical instruction, experiential learning helps students develop confidence, technical understanding, and service precision through hands-on exposure. Emphasising this practice-led approach, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh focuses on immersive learning experiences that allow students to apply classroom concepts in real-world hospitality settings, helping them build the confidence, operational expertise, and service excellence required by the global hospitality industry.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Experiential Training Through Advanced Hospitality Infrastructure</h3>&nbsp;Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh places significant emphasis on experiential learning, with nearly 55 per cent practical exposure integrated into the program. Students gain hands-on training through advanced hospitality infrastructure, including training in kitchens, bakery and confectionery labs, food and beverage service labs, and live service simulations. Concepts such as “Farm to Plate” further encourage students to understand sustainability, food sourcing, and operational management in a real-world context.&nbsp;<h3>Industry Exposure: The Bridge Between Learning and Practice</h3>&nbsp;Industry exposure remains another crucial pillar of hospitality education. Internships, hotel visits, workshops, and guest interactions allow students to understand hospitality standards, guest engagement, and operational workflows while building professional confidence.&nbsp;Industry exposure remains another crucial pillar of hospitality education. Internships, hotel visits, workshops, and guest interactions allow students to understand hospitality standards, guest engagement, and operational workflows while building professional confidence. Strengthening this aspect of professional learning, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh ensures students gain valuable industry exposure through experiential opportunities that connect academic learning with real-world hospitality practices, preparing them to confidently meet the expectations of the dynamic global hospitality sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Connecting Students with Real-World Hospitality Standards</h3><h3>&nbsp;</h3>Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh actively focuses on industry collaboration through internship opportunities with luxury hotels and resorts, interaction with hospitality professionals and chefs, and practical learning experiences aligned with industry expectations. Such exposure helps students become familiar with professional service environments early in their academic journey.&nbsp;<h3>Beyond Academics: Building Professional Personality and Leadership</h3>&nbsp;CU Uttar Pradesh places strong emphasis on holistic development beyond academics. In the hospitality sector, employees place emphasis on communication skills, leadership qualities, grooming standards, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities as much as technical knowledge. To support this, students receive personality development guidance, mock interview preparation, customer-centric grooming support, and leadership training aimed at improving overall employability.&nbsp;<h3>Specialised Learning That Adds Career Value</h3>&nbsp;Additionally, the learning experience extends into specialised and value-added areas such as Culinary Entrepreneurship, The World of Beverages, and The Art of Flower Arrangement. Capstone projects during the third and fourth years further encourage students to apply practical knowledge to industry-relevant challenges and develop problem-solving capabilities.&nbsp;<h3>Unlocking Global Career Opportunities in Hospitality</h3>&nbsp;One of the most exciting aspects of the hospitality industry is the global exposure it offers students. With the sector continuing to expand and evolve, professionally trained graduates are discovering opportunities across hotel and resort management, food and beverage operations, tourism, cruise lines, aviation services, guest relations, institutional hospitality, and hospitality entrepreneurship.&nbsp;And, just to ensure that you get the right start to your career, selecting the right institution is becoming increasingly important. Factors such as practical training exposure, industry collaboration, modern infrastructure, internships, faculty expertise, personality development support, and technology-enabled learning now play a defining role in career preparedness.&nbsp;One of the most exciting aspects of the hospitality industry is the global exposure it offers students. With the sector continuing to expand and evolve, professionally trained graduates are discovering opportunities across hotel and resort management, food and beverage operations, tourism, cruise lines, aviation services, guest relations, institutional hospitality, and hospitality entrepreneurship. To help students tap into these global career pathways, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh equips learners with industry-relevant knowledge, practical expertise, and international exposure that align with evolving hospitality standards.&nbsp;And just to ensure students get the right start to their careers, selecting the right institution is becoming increasingly important. Factors such as practical training exposure, industry collaboration, modern infrastructure, internships, faculty expertise, personality development support, and technology-enabled learning now play a defining role in career preparedness. With a strong focus on these essential pillars, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh offers a future-ready hospitality education ecosystem designed to prepare graduates for success in both domestic and global hospitality industries.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Why Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh Stands Out</h3>&nbsp;With its AI-integrated curriculum, experiential pedagogy, practical hospitality infrastructure, and strong industry-oriented approach,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.culko.in/">Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh</a> is positioning itself as a future-focused destination for hospitality education in India. As the global hospitality sector continues to expand, institutions that combine innovation, practical learning, and professional development are likely to shape the next generation of hospitality leaders.&nbsp;(Disclaimer: This article is from the Brand Desk. User discretion is advised.)&nbsp;

Today’s students are looking beyond traditional classroom learning and seeking programs that offer practical exposure, industry interaction, and future-ready training.

India’s booming hospitality sector is opening up exciting career opportunities across hotels, tourism, aviation, and luxury services. To succeed in this fast-evolving industry, students need future-ready education that blends practical learning, technology integration, and real-world industry exposure – an approach Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh is actively championing. We have been witnessing a boom in India’s hospitality sector. From luxury hotels and international resorts to aviation, cruise tourism, event management, and global travel brands, the industry is expanding rapidly and creating new opportunities for skilled professionals. As customer expectations evolve, hospitality employers are increasingly seeking candidates who combine operational expertise with communication skills, creativity, leadership, and service excellence. But with this shift, hospitality education is also witnessing a change. Today’s students are looking beyond traditional classroom learning and seeking programmes that offer practical exposure, industry interaction, and future-ready training. Institutions that blend experiential learning with technology-driven education are becoming the preferred choice for aspiring hospitality professionals. Among the emerging names in hospitality education, Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh is building a strong reputation for offering a modern and industry-oriented learning ecosystem designed around the evolving needs of the global hospitality sector. Why Hospitality is Becoming a Future-Ready Career Choice Hospitality has steadily emerged as one of the most future-ready career options for students who enjoy working with people, managing experiences, and exploring dynamic work environments. The field opens doors to careers in hotel management, luxury services, tourism, aviation, event operations, cruise management, and even entrepreneurship. The industry also offers international exposure and long-term career growth opportunities for students with the right training and professional mindset. Building Industry-Ready Professionals Through Specialised Learning At the centre of this evolving landscape is the B.Sc. Hospitality & Hotel Management program at Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh, designed to prepare students for real-world hospitality careers through a balanced focus on academics, operational expertise, and personality development. Why Industry-Aligned Hospitality Education Matters One of the defining features of modern hospitality education is industry alignment. Students today require exposure to real operational environments and evolving hospitality technologies from the beginning of their academic journey. Areas such as front office operations, food and beverage services, culinary management, housekeeping operations, customer relationship management, and hospitality software training have become essential parts of professional preparation. One of the defining features of modern hospitality education is strong industry alignment. Students today require exposure to real operational environments and evolving hospitality technologies from the very beginning of their academic journey. Recognising this need, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, integrates practical hospitality training with industry-focused learning across key areas such as front office operations, food and beverage services, culinary management, housekeeping operations, customer relationship management, and hospitality software training. This hands-on approach ensures students graduate with the professional readiness and practical expertise required to succeed in the fast-evolving hospitality sector. Integrating AI into Modern Hospitality Education Recognising this need, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, has developed an industry-oriented curriculum with 20 per cent AI integration, helping students understand how technology is reshaping hospitality operations and guest experiences across the globe. The Power of Practical Learning in Hospitality Practical learning also plays a major role in shaping hospitality professionals. Unlike many conventional programs that rely heavily on theoretical instruction, experiential learning helps students develop confidence, technical understanding, and service precision through hands-on exposure. Practical learning plays a major role in shaping hospitality professionals. Unlike many conventional programs that rely heavily on theoretical instruction, experiential learning helps students develop confidence, technical understanding, and service precision through hands-on exposure. Emphasising this practice-led approach, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh focuses on immersive learning experiences that allow students to apply classroom concepts in real-world hospitality settings, helping them build the confidence, operational expertise, and service excellence required by the global hospitality industry. Experiential Training Through Advanced Hospitality Infrastructure Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh places significant emphasis on experiential learning, with nearly 55 per cent practical exposure integrated into the program. Students gain hands-on training through advanced hospitality infrastructure, including training in kitchens, bakery and confectionery labs, food and beverage service labs, and live service simulations. Concepts such as “Farm to Plate” further encourage students to understand sustainability, food sourcing, and operational management in a real-world context. Industry Exposure: The Bridge Between Learning and Practice Industry exposure remains another crucial pillar of hospitality education. Internships, hotel visits, workshops, and guest interactions allow students to understand hospitality standards, guest engagement, and operational workflows while building professional confidence. Industry exposure remains another crucial pillar of hospitality education. Internships, hotel visits, workshops, and guest interactions allow students to understand hospitality standards, guest engagement, and operational workflows while building professional confidence. Strengthening this aspect of professional learning, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh ensures students gain valuable industry exposure through experiential opportunities that connect academic learning with real-world hospitality practices, preparing them to confidently meet the expectations of the dynamic global hospitality sector. Connecting Students with Real-World Hospitality Standards Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh actively focuses on industry collaboration through internship opportunities with luxury hotels and resorts, interaction with hospitality professionals and chefs, and practical learning experiences aligned with industry expectations. Such exposure helps students become familiar with professional service environments early in their academic journey. Beyond Academics: Building Professional Personality and Leadership CU Uttar Pradesh places strong emphasis on holistic development beyond academics. In the hospitality sector, employees place emphasis on communication skills, leadership qualities, grooming standards, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities as much as technical knowledge. To support this, students receive personality development guidance, mock interview preparation, customer-centric grooming support, and leadership training aimed at improving overall employability. Specialised Learning That Adds Career Value Additionally, the learning experience extends into specialised and value-added areas such as Culinary Entrepreneurship, The World of Beverages, and The Art of Flower Arrangement. Capstone projects during the third and fourth years further encourage students to apply practical knowledge to industry-relevant challenges and develop problem-solving capabilities. Unlocking Global Career Opportunities in Hospitality One of the most exciting aspects of the hospitality industry is the global exposure it offers students. With the sector continuing to expand and evolve, professionally trained graduates are discovering opportunities across hotel and resort management, food and beverage operations, tourism, cruise lines, aviation services, guest relations, institutional hospitality, and hospitality entrepreneurship. And, just to ensure that you get the right start to your career, selecting the right institution is becoming increasingly important. Factors such as practical training exposure, industry collaboration, modern infrastructure, internships, faculty expertise, personality development support, and technology-enabled learning now play a defining role in career preparedness. One of the most exciting aspects of the hospitality industry is the global exposure it offers students. With the sector continuing to expand and evolve, professionally trained graduates are discovering opportunities across hotel and resort management, food and beverage operations, tourism, cruise lines, aviation services, guest relations, institutional hospitality, and hospitality entrepreneurship. To help students tap into these global career pathways, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh equips learners with industry-relevant knowledge, practical expertise, and international exposure that align with evolving hospitality standards. And just to ensure students get the right start to their careers, selecting the right institution is becoming increasingly important. Factors such as practical training exposure, industry collaboration, modern infrastructure, internships, faculty expertise, personality development support, and technology-enabled learning now play a defining role in career preparedness. With a strong focus on these essential pillars, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh offers a future-ready hospitality education ecosystem designed to prepare graduates for success in both domestic and global hospitality industries. Why Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh Stands Out With its AI-integrated curriculum, experiential pedagogy, practical hospitality infrastructure, and strong industry-oriented approach, Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh is positioning itself as a future-focused destination for hospitality education in India. As the global hospitality sector continues to expand, institutions that combine innovation, practical learning, and professional development are likely to shape the next generation of hospitality leaders. (Disclaimer: This article is from the Brand Desk. User discretion is advised.)

Today’s students are looking beyond traditional classroom learning and seeking programs that offer practical exposure, industry interaction, and future-ready training.

Start your dream hospitality career with Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh

South Korea's benchmark KOSPI index fell approximately 9.99 per cent on June 23, as investors executed a major sell-off. This was the fifth-largest single-day percentage decline in history and the largest points shed ever in history at 910.71 pts. The sharp fall also triggered a 20 minute boursed wide trading halt after intraday loss breached the threshold. It was being termed as “Black Tuesday” in South Korea. The sharp sell-off had a ripple effect across nations. Japan's Nikkei closed 3.6 per cent lower, and Softbank tumbled by more than 10 per cent, while other benchmark indexes like the Nasdaq were down by over 2.20 per cent. The CSI 300, &nbsp;Hang Seng, Shanghai, and Taiex also showed a decline. The sharp selloff across Asia and the US triggered concerns about whether it was just a correction or the first crack in the AI rally.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zohran-mamdani-backed-candidates-defeat-establishment-democrats-primaries-1782286731898">Zohran Mamdani-backed candidates sweep establishment Democrats in key primaries</a><h2>From a controversial tax proposal to AI euphoria</h2>The high-flying Kospi fall was driven by Samsung Electronics Co and SK Hynix, whose shares tumbled by 12.31 and 12.47 per cent respectively. These two account for more than half of the market capitalisation of the index. One section of the market attributes the drop to the controversial tax proposal on the unrealised gains. The drop follows a massive rally in the Asian market, as South Korea and Taiwan overtake the market capitalisation of the Indian stock market. The South Korean ruling Democratic Forum, on June 23, called for comprehensive taxation that would treat unrealised gains on stocks and real estate as taxable income, even before the asset is ever sold. They argued that treating unrealised gain as taxable income will reflect the real-time wealth expansion instead of the arbitrary timing of the sale. It had been the cause of a structural friction, a major double standard, as investors treat those stock market gains as unrealised income to avoid tax, while at the same time they use those unrealised gains as collateral to take out bank loans and secure hard liquidity. They used these loans to buy highly volatile, leveraged single-stock ETFs, doubling down on an already top-heavy market.While another section of the market analysts suggests that the AI rally has gone too fast and too far, without accounting for the uncertainty around the Iran war, it is a classic example of “irrational exuberance”. The market has developed a dangerous immunity to geopolitical headlines. They have started to treat conflict as the new normal, expecting it to be locked in a specific region. They are treating the chipmakers as bulletproof, but ignoring the financial reality of the cyclical nature of the AI infrastructure. This comes despite repeated red flags that the tech giants could not maintain their massive capex spending without seeing any profit. The Kospi recovered on June 24, 3.26 per cent, specifically owing to the massive 90 trillion won ($58.6 billion) share buyback program by Samsung Electronics.&nbsp;&nbsp;

South Korea's KOSPI plunged nearly 10% in its biggest-ever points loss, triggering a trading halt and sparking concerns over AI stock valuations, tax proposals, and global market stability.

South Korea's benchmark KOSPI index fell approximately 9.99 per cent on June 23, as investors executed a major sell-off. This was the fifth-largest single-day percentage decline in history and the largest points shed ever in history at 910.71 pts. The sharp fall also triggered a 20 minute boursed wide trading halt after intraday loss breached the threshold. It was being termed as “Black Tuesday” in South Korea. The sharp sell-off had a ripple effect across nations. Japan's Nikkei closed 3.6 per cent lower, and Softbank tumbled by more than 10 per cent, while other benchmark indexes like the Nasdaq were down by over 2.20 per cent. The CSI 300, Hang Seng, Shanghai, and Taiex also showed a decline. The sharp selloff across Asia and the US triggered concerns about whether it was just a correction or the first crack in the AI rally. Also Read: Zohran Mamdani-backed candidates sweep establishment Democrats in key primaries From a controversial tax proposal to AI euphoria The high-flying Kospi fall was driven by Samsung Electronics Co and SK Hynix, whose shares tumbled by 12.31 and 12.47 per cent respectively. These two account for more than half of the market capitalisation of the index. One section of the market attributes the drop to the controversial tax proposal on the unrealised gains. The drop follows a massive rally in the Asian market, as South Korea and Taiwan overtake the market capitalisation of the Indian stock market. The South Korean ruling Democratic Forum, on June 23, called for comprehensive taxation that would treat unrealised gains on stocks and real estate as taxable income, even before the asset is ever sold. They argued that treating unrealised gain as taxable income will reflect the real-time wealth expansion instead of the arbitrary timing of the sale. It had been the cause of a structural friction, a major double standard, as investors treat those stock market gains as unrealised income to avoid tax, while at the same time they use those unrealised gains as collateral to take out bank loans and secure hard liquidity. They used these loans to buy highly volatile, leveraged single-stock ETFs, doubling down on an already top-heavy market. While another section of the market analysts suggests that the AI rally has gone too fast and too far, without accounting for the uncertainty around the Iran war, it is a classic example of “irrational exuberance”. The market has developed a dangerous immunity to geopolitical headlines. They have started to treat conflict as the new normal, expecting it to be locked in a specific region. They are treating the chipmakers as bulletproof, but ignoring the financial reality of the cyclical nature of the AI infrastructure. This comes despite repeated red flags that the tech giants could not maintain their massive capex spending without seeing any profit. The Kospi recovered on June 24, 3.26 per cent, specifically owing to the massive 90 trillion won ($58.6 billion) share buyback program by Samsung Electronics.

South Korea's KOSPI plunged nearly 10% in its biggest-ever points loss, triggering a trading halt and sparking concerns over AI stock valuations, tax proposals, and global market stability.

South Korea's 'Black Tuesday'- Why KOSPI suffered its worst-ever points decline

SpaceX sold $25 billion of investment-grade bonds on Tuesday to cut the interest burden that had helped finance Elon Musk's 2022 acquisition of X (then known as Twitter), along with the expensive loans and bonds issued by artificial intelligence (AI) lab xAI last year. Had these businesses remained separate, they would have paid an estimated $1.8 billion this year to service a combined debt burden of $17.5 billion. Following their integration into SpaceX, the company is expected to incur around $1.5 billion in annual interest payments on its first-ever $25 billion bond offering. Prior to SpaceX's landmark $75 billion IPO earlier this month, Elon Musk consolidated several of his ventures into a single conglomerate, a move that drew strong investor enthusiasm despite the group not yet being profitable. Musk has effectively used revenue after selling Starlink's satellite internet service and SpaceX's rocket contracts with the US government to assist large spending at xAI, which holds X. "To invest in this, you've essentially got to be a believer," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth. "You have to believe revenues are going to ramp significantly over the coming years." Investors have shown confidence in the demand for SpaceX's debt offering, which received up to $89 billion in orders. The strong appetite prompted the firm to secure lower borrowing costs during the sale process. The demand persisted even as SpaceX shares experienced volatility, losing roughly 25 per cent of their value over three trading sessions before recovering slightly on Tuesday. However, a SpaceX spokesperson didn't quickly respond to the ongoing development.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/heavy-hitter-how-many-missiles-can-a-b-52-bomber-carry-at-once-1782285270342">Heavy hitter: How many missiles can a B-52 bomber carry at once?</a><h3>Competition with AI firms</h3>Securing accessibility of the investment-grade bond market was a significant move in funding xAI's efforts to compete with the AI firms such as Anthropic PBC and OpenAI. Previously, the company's higher-risk credit profile limited it to sell leveraged loans and high-yield or junk bonds, where debt is pricey. However, after SpaceX acquired xAI in February, winning investment-grade ratings from top credit graders, the company has unlocked access to the cheaper US high-grade bond market, providing SpaceX access to deeper pockets. "They are going to need more debt to fund their expansion," said Robert Schiffman, a senior credit analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. "If you're going to have a balance sheet with $80 to $100 billion plus of debt, you can't finance that in the junk market." The global push to build data centres and supporting infrastructure for the artificial intelligence boom is projected to require trillions of dollars in investment. To fund their AI expansion plans, highly profitable companies such as Nvidia and Amazon.com have increasingly tapped the corporate bond market, a trend expected to accelerate in the years ahead. In recent weeks, SpaceX, through xAI, has secured several multi-billion-dollar computing agreements with Anthropic, Google and AI startup Reflection, strengthening its AI-related revenue stream. However, according to public filings, xAI reported revenue of $3.2 billion last year while posting an operating loss of $6.4 billion. The company's annual losses have grown sharply from approximately $1.6 billion recorded in 2024.

The strong appetite prompted the firm to secure lower borrowing costs during the sale process. The demand persisted even as SpaceX shares experienced volatility, losing roughly 25 per cent of their value over three trading sessions before recovering slightly on Tuesday.

SpaceX sold $25 billion of investment-grade bonds on Tuesday to cut the interest burden that had helped finance Elon Musk's 2022 acquisition of X (then known as Twitter), along with the expensive loans and bonds issued by artificial intelligence (AI) lab xAI last year. Had these businesses remained separate, they would have paid an estimated $1.8 billion this year to service a combined debt burden of $17.5 billion. Following their integration into SpaceX, the company is expected to incur around $1.5 billion in annual interest payments on its first-ever $25 billion bond offering. Prior to SpaceX's landmark $75 billion IPO earlier this month, Elon Musk consolidated several of his ventures into a single conglomerate, a move that drew strong investor enthusiasm despite the group not yet being profitable. Musk has effectively used revenue after selling Starlink's satellite internet service and SpaceX's rocket contracts with the US government to assist large spending at xAI, which holds X. "To invest in this, you've essentially got to be a believer," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth. "You have to believe revenues are going to ramp significantly over the coming years." Investors have shown confidence in the demand for SpaceX's debt offering, which received up to $89 billion in orders. The strong appetite prompted the firm to secure lower borrowing costs during the sale process. The demand persisted even as SpaceX shares experienced volatility, losing roughly 25 per cent of their value over three trading sessions before recovering slightly on Tuesday. However, a SpaceX spokesperson didn't quickly respond to the ongoing development. Also read: Heavy hitter: How many missiles can a B-52 bomber carry at once? Competition with AI firms Securing accessibility of the investment-grade bond market was a significant move in funding xAI's efforts to compete with the AI firms such as Anthropic PBC and OpenAI. Previously, the company's higher-risk credit profile limited it to sell leveraged loans and high-yield or junk bonds, where debt is pricey. However, after SpaceX acquired xAI in February, winning investment-grade ratings from top credit graders, the company has unlocked access to the cheaper US high-grade bond market, providing SpaceX access to deeper pockets. "They are going to need more debt to fund their expansion," said Robert Schiffman, a senior credit analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. "If you're going to have a balance sheet with $80 to $100 billion plus of debt, you can't finance that in the junk market." The global push to build data centres and supporting infrastructure for the artificial intelligence boom is projected to require trillions of dollars in investment. To fund their AI expansion plans, highly profitable companies such as Nvidia and Amazon.com have increasingly tapped the corporate bond market, a trend expected to accelerate in the years ahead. In recent weeks, SpaceX, through xAI, has secured several multi-billion-dollar computing agreements with Anthropic, Google and AI startup Reflection, strengthening its AI-related revenue stream. However, according to public filings, xAI reported revenue of $3.2 billion last year while posting an operating loss of $6.4 billion. The company's annual losses have grown sharply from approximately $1.6 billion recorded in 2024.

The strong appetite prompted the firm to secure lower borrowing costs during the sale process. The demand persisted even as SpaceX shares experienced volatility, losing roughly 25 per cent of their value over three trading sessions before recovering slightly on Tuesday.

Elon Musk's SpaceX sells $25 bn in bond to ease X and xAI debt burden

US Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Bethany Poulos Morrison on Tuesday (Jun 23) said that Washington was "very, very close" to concluding the historic trade agreement with India. Speaking at an event, Morrison said, "Looking at trade, in February 2026, we announced the intention to finally conclude the historic trade deal. We are very, very close." This comes after months of negotiations.But if a deal is so close, why hasn't it been signed yet? And what exactly are India and the US negotiating? WION Decodes.<h2>What is the deal being discussed between India and the US?</h2>The talks between the two allies revolve around an interim trade agreement that could eventually pave the way for a broader Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). Both countries have set a target of reaching $500 billion in bilateral trade by 2030, a goal often referred to as "Mission 500".Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-supreme-court-makes-it-easier-to-deport-green-card-holders-what-does-it-mean-for-indians-wion-horizons-1782271724642">US Supreme Court makes it easier to deport Green Card holders: What does it mean for Indians? | WION Horizons</a>For Washington, the deal is about gaining greater access to India's vast consumer market. For New Delhi, it is about securing market access, reducing trade frictions and strengthening economic ties with its largest trading partner.Why does the US say the deal is important?According to Morrison, the agreement would open India's market of 1.4 billion people to American goods on what Washington calls "reciprocal and mutually beneficial" terms. "The administration is driving towards the goal of Mission 500, 500 billion in trade by 2030, with a real sense of urgency," she added.<h2>What are the sticking points?</h2>The US has long argued that India maintains high tariffs and regulatory barriers on several imported products, ranging from agricultural goods to manufactured products.Successive American administrations, including the current Donald Trump administration, have pushed for greater market access, but negotiations have often stalled over disagreements on tariffs, digital trade rules and market protections.While neither side has publicly disclosed the final negotiating text, several issues have repeatedly emerged during trade discussions.These include:<ul><li>Tariffs on agricultural and industrial products</li><li>Market access for American goods</li><li>Digital trade and data regulations</li><li>Rules affecting pharmaceutical and medical products</li><li>Investment protections</li><li>Non-tariff barriers affecting exporters</li></ul>India has traditionally sought to protect sensitive sectors such as agriculture, while the US has pushed for broader access for its companies.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-releases-first-official-fact-sheet-on-us-india-trade-deal-says-it-ll-open-1-4b-strong-market-to-american-goods-1770701855280">White House releases first official fact sheet on US-India trade deal; no mention of New Delhi ending Russian oil purchase</a><h2>Why is there a sense of urgency now?</h2>The timing is significant. The US is trying to diversify supply chains away from China while deepening economic partnerships with trusted partners in the Indo-Pacific.India, meanwhile, is positioning itself as an alternative manufacturing hub and a key destination for global investment.The economic relationship is already expanding rapidly. According to Morrison, 2025 was a "historic year" for India-US trade. "We raised bilateral trade for goods to 149 billion. That's more than a 20 million increase from 2024. US exports to India alone rose by 9.8 per cent," she said.<h2>What happens next?</h2>US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met in New Delhi on Tuesday to advance discussions on both the interim agreement, which was originally launched by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi, and the larger trade framework.In a statement on X, the official account of the US Embassy in India on X said that it remains focused on securing a fair, reciprocal trade deal that opens markets for American exporters and delivers benefits to both nations."USTradeRep Jamieson Greer and Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal met in New Delhi today to advance negotiations on the Interim Agreement launched by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi. The United States remains focused on securing a fair, reciprocal trade deal that opens markets for American exporters and delivers benefits to both nations," the post read.

The US says it is "very, very close" to finalising a trade agreement with India. But despite months of negotiations, several sensitive issues remain unresolved. Here's what the two countries are negotiating and why the deal is taking time.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Bethany Poulos Morrison on Tuesday (Jun 23) said that Washington was "very, very close" to concluding the historic trade agreement with India. Speaking at an event, Morrison said, "Looking at trade, in February 2026, we announced the intention to finally conclude the historic trade deal. We are very, very close." This comes after months of negotiations. But if a deal is so close, why hasn't it been signed yet? And what exactly are India and the US negotiating? WION Decodes. What is the deal being discussed between India and the US? The talks between the two allies revolve around an interim trade agreement that could eventually pave the way for a broader Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). Both countries have set a target of reaching $500 billion in bilateral trade by 2030, a goal often referred to as "Mission 500". Also read | US Supreme Court makes it easier to deport Green Card holders: What does it mean for Indians? | WION Horizons For Washington, the deal is about gaining greater access to India's vast consumer market. For New Delhi, it is about securing market access, reducing trade frictions and strengthening economic ties with its largest trading partner. Why does the US say the deal is important? According to Morrison, the agreement would open India's market of 1.4 billion people to American goods on what Washington calls "reciprocal and mutually beneficial" terms. "The administration is driving towards the goal of Mission 500, 500 billion in trade by 2030, with a real sense of urgency," she added. What are the sticking points? The US has long argued that India maintains high tariffs and regulatory barriers on several imported products, ranging from agricultural goods to manufactured products. Successive American administrations, including the current Donald Trump administration, have pushed for greater market access, but negotiations have often stalled over disagreements on tariffs, digital trade rules and market protections. While neither side has publicly disclosed the final negotiating text, several issues have repeatedly emerged during trade discussions. These include: Tariffs on agricultural and industrial products Market access for American goods Digital trade and data regulations Rules affecting pharmaceutical and medical products Investment protections Non-tariff barriers affecting exporters India has traditionally sought to protect sensitive sectors such as agriculture, while the US has pushed for broader access for its companies. Also read | White House releases first official fact sheet on US-India trade deal; no mention of New Delhi ending Russian oil purchase Why is there a sense of urgency now? The timing is significant. The US is trying to diversify supply chains away from China while deepening economic partnerships with trusted partners in the Indo-Pacific. India, meanwhile, is positioning itself as an alternative manufacturing hub and a key destination for global investment. The economic relationship is already expanding rapidly. According to Morrison, 2025 was a "historic year" for India-US trade. "We raised bilateral trade for goods to 149 billion. That's more than a 20 million increase from 2024. US exports to India alone rose by 9.8 per cent," she said. What happens next? US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met in New Delhi on Tuesday to advance discussions on both the interim agreement, which was originally launched by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi, and the larger trade framework. In a statement on X, the official account of the US Embassy in India on X said that it remains focused on securing a fair, reciprocal trade deal that opens markets for American exporters and delivers benefits to both nations. "USTradeRep Jamieson Greer and Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal met in New Delhi today to advance negotiations on the Interim Agreement launched by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi. The United States remains focused on securing a fair, reciprocal trade deal that opens markets for American exporters and delivers benefits to both nations," the post read.

The US says it is "very, very close" to finalising a trade agreement with India. But despite months of negotiations, several sensitive issues remain unresolved. Here's what the two countries are negotiating and why the deal is taking time.

US says trade deal with India is 'very, very close'. What's holding it up? | WION Decodes

US President Donald Trump, in a social media post on Wednesday (Jun 24), announced that he has asked big oil companies to drop oil prices. Accusing major oil companies of overcharging consumers by failing to lower gasoline prices in line with the recent decline in crude oil prices, the POTUS said he had directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the matter.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-supreme-court-makes-it-easier-to-deport-green-card-holders-what-does-it-mean-for-indians-wion-horizons-1782271724642">US Supreme Court makes it easier to deport Green Card holders: What does it mean for Indians? | WION Horizons</a><h2>Can Americans expect cheaper gasoline?</h2>In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that oil prices had fallen sharply, but consumers were not seeing comparable relief at fuel stations. This, he said, meant that American customers were being "gouged" by "big Oil Companies"."The big Oil Companies are not dropping their price at the pump commensurate with the sharply lower prices they are paying for Oil. Those prices are dropping like a rock!" Trump wrote."In other words, customers are being 'gouged.' I have instructed the DOJ to immediately start looking into this. Gasoline prices better start going down a lot faster than what I'm seeing!" he added, signing off with his signature ‘President DJT’.The oil industry has yet to publicly respond to Trump's allegations.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-asks-americans-if-ice-should-become-nice-in-unusual-rebranding-poll-says-media-would-go-totally-crazy-1782014525608">Trump asks Americans if ICE should become 'NICE' in unusual rebranding poll, says media would 'go totally crazy'</a><h2>Oil prices fall to lowest levels since start of Iran war</h2>Trump's remarks come as oil prices extended losses to sit around their lowest levels since the early days of the Middle East crisis. According to an AFP report, at 0230 GMT, Brent crude price fell by 0.7 per cent to $76.56 a barrel.Oil prices continue to fall as optimism persists about an eventual deal to end the war in West Asia.On Monday, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz reached its highest level since the war began on February 28.Global oil markets have experienced increased volatility in recent months amid geopolitical tensions in West Asia, supply disruptions, and concerns over global economic growth.&nbsp;

With oil prices falling to their lowest levels since the start of the Iran conflict, Donald Trump has accused major oil companies of overcharging consumers and ordered the DoJ to investigate whether Americans are being denied the benefits of cheaper crude. Can US citizens expect cheaper fuel?

US President Donald Trump, in a social media post on Wednesday (Jun 24), announced that he has asked big oil companies to drop oil prices. Accusing major oil companies of overcharging consumers by failing to lower gasoline prices in line with the recent decline in crude oil prices, the POTUS said he had directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the matter. Also read | US Supreme Court makes it easier to deport Green Card holders: What does it mean for Indians? | WION Horizons Can Americans expect cheaper gasoline? In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that oil prices had fallen sharply, but consumers were not seeing comparable relief at fuel stations. This, he said, meant that American customers were being "gouged" by "big Oil Companies". "The big Oil Companies are not dropping their price at the pump commensurate with the sharply lower prices they are paying for Oil. Those prices are dropping like a rock!" Trump wrote. "In other words, customers are being 'gouged.' I have instructed the DOJ to immediately start looking into this. Gasoline prices better start going down a lot faster than what I'm seeing!" he added, signing off with his signature ‘President DJT’. The oil industry has yet to publicly respond to Trump's allegations. Also read | Trump asks Americans if ICE should become 'NICE' in unusual rebranding poll, says media would 'go totally crazy' Oil prices fall to lowest levels since start of Iran war Trump's remarks come as oil prices extended losses to sit around their lowest levels since the early days of the Middle East crisis. According to an AFP report, at 0230 GMT, Brent crude price fell by 0.7 per cent to $76.56 a barrel. Oil prices continue to fall as optimism persists about an eventual deal to end the war in West Asia. On Monday, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz reached its highest level since the war began on February 28. Global oil markets have experienced increased volatility in recent months amid geopolitical tensions in West Asia, supply disruptions, and concerns over global economic growth.

With oil prices falling to their lowest levels since the start of the Iran conflict, Donald Trump has accused major oil companies of overcharging consumers and ordered the DoJ to investigate whether Americans are being denied the benefits of cheaper crude. Can US citizens expect cheaper fuel?

Trump accuses big oil companies of 'gouging' American customers, says 'gasoline prices better start going down a lot faster'

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared in a press briefing on Tuesday that 11 India-bound vessels have safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz since the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran; 10 are still in the Persian Gulf, while two additional Indian ships have crossed into the Persian Gulf from the western side.&nbsp;“We have 10 Indian-flagged vessels still in the Persian Gulf region. In addition, two Indian ships have crossed from this side into the Persian Gulf. Since the signing of the MoU on June 17, eleven India-bound vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz,” said the MEA spokesperson.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lucknow-fire-tragedy-3-arrested-4-officials-suspended-sit-set-up-for-probe-1782159599783">Lucknow fire tragedy: 3 arrested; 4 officials suspended; SIT set up for probe</a>&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://x.com/hashtag/MEABriefing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MEABriefing</a> | 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐥𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 We have ten Indian flagged vessels still in the Persian Gulf region. In addition, we have two Indian ships which have crossed… <a href="https://t.co/NVshRLReNL">pic.twitter.com/NVshRLReNL</a>&mdash; All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) <a href="https://x.com/airnewsalerts/status/2069375297401848228?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;“The vessels include three India-flagged crude oil tankers, each carrying 2,85,000 metric tonnes of crude oil, one foreign-flag LPG carrier; one foreign-flag crude oil tanker; and six foreign-flag bulk carriers carrying fertiliser, and it is our expectation and hope that the remaining Indian-flag vessels, of which the number I just gave you, would also be able to cross the order soon,” Jaiswal added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/14-students-killed-in-fire-at-animation-centre-in-lucknow-many-jump-from-1st-floor-1782130828955">15 killed in fire at animation centre in Lucknow; many jump off 1st floor</a><h2>Strait of Hormuz reopened last week, but Tehran's threats for closure continue &nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;The MEA’s comments come during uncertainty about transit through the strategic waterway, a key route for global oil and gas transport, amid contradictory statements from the US and Iran. The Strait of Hormuz reopened last week after the MoU signing and the lifting of the naval blockade by the US. However, on Saturday Tehran announced that it had closed the strait again following Israeli attacks in Lebanon.&nbsp;The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and serves as a key route for crude oil exports from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE and Iran.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vance-says-iran-has-agreed-to-resume-iaea-nuclear-inspections-probably-by-this-week-1782143460029">Vance says Iran has agreed to resume IAEA nuclear inspections, probably by ‘this week’</a>&nbsp;The Iran-US war and naval blockade on shipping through the strait had disrupted oil flows, squeezed global energy supplies and led to a sharp rise in crude prices.&nbsp;<h2>Tracking firms indicate increased vessel movement</h2>&nbsp;Maritime traffic through the strait has picked up pace, and tracking firms indicate increased vessel movement in recent days.&nbsp;President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on Tuesday that 19 million barrels of oil flowed out of the Hormuz Strait on Monday. “Oil prices are tumbling down, and the world is a much safer place.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/cred-founder-kunal-shah-becomes-global-ceo-of-whatsapp-meta-invests-900-million-in-fintech-startup-1782137297377">CRED founder Kunal Shah becomes global CEO of WhatsApp as Meta invests $900 million in startup</a> Last Thursday, the US lifted its blockade of Iran, allowing oil tankers to move through Hormuz as a tentative agreement to end the war came into effect.On June 17, President Donald Trump signed an agreement with Iran that calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and waives US-backed sanctions on the country, immediately allowing Iran to sell its oil freely in a major concession from Washington.

Three India-flagged crude oil tankers, each carrying 2,85,000 metric tonnes of crude oil, one foreign-flag LPG carrier, one foreign-flag crude oil tanker, and six foreign-flag bulk carriers carrying fertiliser crossed through the Strait of Hormuz, the MEA spokesperson said.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared in a press briefing on Tuesday that 11 India-bound vessels have safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz since the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran; 10 are still in the Persian Gulf, while two additional Indian ships have crossed into the Persian Gulf from the western side. “We have 10 Indian-flagged vessels still in the Persian Gulf region. In addition, two Indian ships have crossed from this side into the Persian Gulf. Since the signing of the MoU on June 17, eleven India-bound vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz,” said the MEA spokesperson. Also Read: Lucknow fire tragedy: 3 arrested; 4 officials suspended; SIT set up for probe

Three India-flagged crude oil tankers, each carrying 2,85,000 metric tonnes of crude oil, one foreign-flag LPG carrier, one foreign-flag crude oil tanker, and six foreign-flag bulk carriers carrying fertiliser crossed through the Strait of Hormuz, the MEA spokesperson said.

11 India-bound ships carrying crude, LPG, fertilisers crossed Hormuz since US-Iran MoU signing; 10 still in Gulf: MEA

SpaceX has lost over $600 billion in market value in just three trading sessions, days after becoming the world's most valuable company. The loss is being considered nearly three times the combined wealth of India's two richest businessmen, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, with a net worth of $88.3 billion, and Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, worth an estimated at $120 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. SpaceX shares tumbled 16 per cent on Monday to finish at $154.60, marking their lowest level since the stock market debut of Elon Musk's company. The drop extended a three-day losing streak to 23 per cent, erasing more than $600 billion from the company's market value. Even after the selloff, SpaceX remains among the world's most valuable firms, with a market capitalisation exceeding $2 trillion. The downturn comes just days after SpaceX's record-breaking IPO, which raised $75 billion and sparked strong investor interest. The company rapidly joined the ranks of the world's most valuable corporations as investors sought exposure to Elon Musk's businesses in space exploration, satellite communications and artificial intelligence.&nbsp;Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boston-tea-party-bill-demanding-1-2-million-in-damages-unveiled-at-uk-national-archives-1782186912405"> Boston Tea Party ‘bill’ demanding £1.2 million in damages unveiled at UK National Archives</a><h3>Outpacing SpaceX's valuation</h3>Market analysts, however, noted that the stock's rapid ascent made it vulnerable to profit-booking. "Sellers are back in control. Anyone in the world who wanted to buy this has bought it already," Michael O'Rourke, chief market strategist at JonesTrading, told Bloomberg. The comment highlighted concerns that SpaceX's valuation may have outpaced its underlying fundamentals. Another factor weighing on sentiment is SpaceX's aggressive push into artificial intelligence. Investor sentiment has also been affected by the company's expanding focus on artificial intelligence. According to Bloomberg, SpaceX is preparing to raise at least $20 billion through its first investment-grade bond offering to help fund its AI initiatives. The company has also entered into a multibillion-dollar deal to provide computing capacity to Reflection AI, an artificial intelligence startup. While several investors see AI as a major opportunity for growth, others worry that the company is growing too aggressively at a time when expectations are already sky-high. Most of the post-IPO rally was due to retail investors. Reports also indicated that retail investors came up with a net $405 million worth of SpaceX shares during the initial five trading sessions after listing. In addition, SpaceX attracted more retail money than all the Magnificent Seven technology stocks combined during that period.

SpaceX rapidly joined the ranks of the world's most valuable corporations as investors sought exposure to Elon Musk's businesses in space exploration, satellite communications and artificial intelligence.

SpaceX has lost over $600 billion in market value in just three trading sessions, days after becoming the world's most valuable company. The loss is being considered nearly three times the combined wealth of India's two richest businessmen, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, with a net worth of $88.3 billion, and Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, worth an estimated at $120 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. SpaceX shares tumbled 16 per cent on Monday to finish at $154.60, marking their lowest level since the stock market debut of Elon Musk's company. The drop extended a three-day losing streak to 23 per cent, erasing more than $600 billion from the company's market value. Even after the selloff, SpaceX remains among the world's most valuable firms, with a market capitalisation exceeding $2 trillion. The downturn comes just days after SpaceX's record-breaking IPO, which raised $75 billion and sparked strong investor interest. The company rapidly joined the ranks of the world's most valuable corporations as investors sought exposure to Elon Musk's businesses in space exploration, satellite communications and artificial intelligence. Also read: Boston Tea Party ‘bill’ demanding £1.2 million in damages unveiled at UK National Archives Outpacing SpaceX's valuation Market analysts, however, noted that the stock's rapid ascent made it vulnerable to profit-booking. "Sellers are back in control. Anyone in the world who wanted to buy this has bought it already," Michael O'Rourke, chief market strategist at JonesTrading, told Bloomberg. The comment highlighted concerns that SpaceX's valuation may have outpaced its underlying fundamentals. Another factor weighing on sentiment is SpaceX's aggressive push into artificial intelligence. Investor sentiment has also been affected by the company's expanding focus on artificial intelligence. According to Bloomberg, SpaceX is preparing to raise at least $20 billion through its first investment-grade bond offering to help fund its AI initiatives. The company has also entered into a multibillion-dollar deal to provide computing capacity to Reflection AI, an artificial intelligence startup. While several investors see AI as a major opportunity for growth, others worry that the company is growing too aggressively at a time when expectations are already sky-high. Most of the post-IPO rally was due to retail investors. Reports also indicated that retail investors came up with a net $405 million worth of SpaceX shares during the initial five trading sessions after listing. In addition, SpaceX attracted more retail money than all the Magnificent Seven technology stocks combined during that period.

SpaceX rapidly joined the ranks of the world's most valuable corporations as investors sought exposure to Elon Musk's businesses in space exploration, satellite communications and artificial intelligence.

Elon Musk's SpaceX loses $600bn in 3 days, nearly triple combined wealth of Ambani and Adani

India became the world's leading ship recycling country in 2025. Ranking first globally, India's share of global ship recycling upsurged to 35.4 per cent in 2025 from 30.1 per cent in 2024, according to the latest data released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Ship recycling in India has increased significantly to 2.99 million gross tons (GT) in 2025, rising approximately 60 per cent from 1.86 million GT in 2024. After this milestone, the target set under Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 to become the leading ship recycling nation of the world has been achieved well before the schedule. This milestone highlights the success of maritime sector reforms and ease-of-doing-business measures introduced by the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In response to the development, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping &amp; Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal, said, "India's emergence as the world's top ship recycling nation reflects the success of sustained policy reforms, industry efforts and adherence to international environmental and safety standards under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It reinforces India's position as a global hub for responsible and sustainable ship recycling."&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/nasa-satellite-photo-shows-super-el-ni-o-has-elevated-sea-levels-in-pacific-1782134815575">NASA satellite photo shows Super El Niño has triggered a very specific change in the Pacific</a><h3>Recycling of Ships Act, 2019</h3>To strengthen the ship recycling industry, the government enacted the Recycling of Ships Act, 2019, creating a regulatory framework in line with the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, which India ratified in 2019. The Centre has also extended financial support of Rs 53.5 crore for the modernisation of ship recycling facilities, enabling 115 yards to meet HKC standards and improve environmental and safety compliance. In addition, MoPSW initiated the Ship-breaking Credit Note policy, under which ship owners receive a credit note similar to 40 per cent of the scrap value of a recycled ship. This credit can be utilised toward payment of up to 5 per cent of the value of a new vessel designed at an Indian shipyard, for both ship recycling and domestic shipbuilding. MoPSW regularly involves the Gujarat Maritime Board, global shipping companies, the Ship Recycling Industries Association, cash buyers, classification societies and international organisations to figure out challenges implementing targeted solutions. The Indian government is actively going after the inclusion of Indian ship recycling yards in the approved list of recycling facilities of the European Union. Continuous participation with the required officials is underway to facilitate approvals. India is targeting a significant increase in its ship recycling capacity, aiming to raise it to nearly 9 million light displacement tonnes (LDT) through the proposed expansion of the Alang Ship Recycling Yard. To facilitate this growth, the Gujarat government has developed a comprehensive master plan focused on meeting future demand, upgrading infrastructure and strengthening India's position in the global ship recycling industry.

MoPSW launched the Ship-breaking Credit Note policy, allowing ship owners to receive credits worth 40% of a vessel's scrap value. The credit can be used to pay up to 5% of the cost of a new ship built at an Indian shipyard, boosting both ship recycling and domestic shipbuilding.

India became the world's leading ship recycling country in 2025. Ranking first globally, India's share of global ship recycling upsurged to 35.4 per cent in 2025 from 30.1 per cent in 2024, according to the latest data released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Ship recycling in India has increased significantly to 2.99 million gross tons (GT) in 2025, rising approximately 60 per cent from 1.86 million GT in 2024. After this milestone, the target set under Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 to become the leading ship recycling nation of the world has been achieved well before the schedule. This milestone highlights the success of maritime sector reforms and ease-of-doing-business measures introduced by the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In response to the development, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal, said, "India's emergence as the world's top ship recycling nation reflects the success of sustained policy reforms, industry efforts and adherence to international environmental and safety standards under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It reinforces India's position as a global hub for responsible and sustainable ship recycling." Also read: NASA satellite photo shows Super El Niño has triggered a very specific change in the Pacific Recycling of Ships Act, 2019 To strengthen the ship recycling industry, the government enacted the Recycling of Ships Act, 2019, creating a regulatory framework in line with the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, which India ratified in 2019. The Centre has also extended financial support of Rs 53.5 crore for the modernisation of ship recycling facilities, enabling 115 yards to meet HKC standards and improve environmental and safety compliance. In addition, MoPSW initiated the Ship-breaking Credit Note policy, under which ship owners receive a credit note similar to 40 per cent of the scrap value of a recycled ship. This credit can be utilised toward payment of up to 5 per cent of the value of a new vessel designed at an Indian shipyard, for both ship recycling and domestic shipbuilding. MoPSW regularly involves the Gujarat Maritime Board, global shipping companies, the Ship Recycling Industries Association, cash buyers, classification societies and international organisations to figure out challenges implementing targeted solutions. The Indian government is actively going after the inclusion of Indian ship recycling yards in the approved list of recycling facilities of the European Union. Continuous participation with the required officials is underway to facilitate approvals. India is targeting a significant increase in its ship recycling capacity, aiming to raise it to nearly 9 million light displacement tonnes (LDT) through the proposed expansion of the Alang Ship Recycling Yard. To facilitate this growth, the Gujarat government has developed a comprehensive master plan focused on meeting future demand, upgrading infrastructure and strengthening India's position in the global ship recycling industry.

MoPSW launched the Ship-breaking Credit Note policy, allowing ship owners to receive credits worth 40% of a vessel's scrap value. The credit can be used to pay up to 5% of the cost of a new ship built at an Indian shipyard, boosting both ship recycling and domestic shipbuilding.

India becomes world's top ship recycling nation, achieves MIV 2030 goal ahead of schedule

Alan Greenspan, an economist who served as chairman of the Federal Reserve under four US presidents, died on Monday, his wife Andrea Mitchell said. He was 100. Greenspan died at his home due to complications of Parkinson’s disease, Mitchell said in a statement. As Federal Reserve chairman from 1987 to 2006, he presided over the longest sustained period of US economic growth in a generation.&nbsp;Greenspan’s reign at the central bank coincided with the so-called Great Moderation, a period of stability from the mid-1980s until 2007 that was marked by low inflation, stock market gains and strong economic growth.&nbsp;“His extraordinary 18 years as chairman left behind an enduring legacy, and his dedication to the institution, the field of economics and public service continues to inspire generations of central bankers,” John Williams, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, said in a statement.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vance-says-iran-has-agreed-to-resume-iaea-nuclear-inspections-probably-by-this-week-1782143460029">Vance says Iran has agreed to resume IAEA nuclear inspections, probably by ‘this week’</a>&nbsp;Greenspan’s tenure was also laced with several financial crises, including the 1987 stock market crash and the dot-com collapse in the early 2000s.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 1996, Greenspan famously coined the phrase “irrational exuberance” to describe bubbles fuelled by unbridled investor optimism, alluding to that era’s craze for internet company stocks.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/cred-founder-kunal-shah-becomes-global-ceo-of-whatsapp-meta-invests-900-million-in-fintech-startup-1782137297377">CRED founder Kunal Shah becomes global CEO of WhatsApp as Meta invests $900 million in startup</a>&nbsp;Greenspan’s legacy is also linked to the 2008 global financial crisis and the ensuing Great Recession, although the economic collapse occurred after he ended his final term as Fed chair in early 2006. Yet some critics pointed to his “loose money” policies in the preceding years as contributing to the subprime housing crisis that ultimately caused the greatest US economic collapse since the Great Depression.&nbsp;However, Greenspan defended his decisions leading up to the Great Recession and said that he was a victim of “revisionist history” and that he had warned about subprime mortgages and other red flags brewing in the housing market.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/14-students-killed-in-fire-at-animation-centre-in-lucknow-many-jump-from-1st-floor-1782130828955">15 killed in fire at animation centre in Lucknow; many jump off 1st floor</a>&nbsp;As Fed chair, Greenspan also became known for offering often cryptic economic commentary that lawmakers, economists and investors found hard to interpret.&nbsp;&nbsp;Greenspan was born in New York City on March 6, 1926, and exhibited mathematical talent as a child. He studied economics at New York University, where he eventually earned a bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree.His first job was with the National Industrial Conference Board, after which he set up his economic consulting firm, Townsend-Greenspan &amp; Co.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/6-shiv-sena-ubt-rebel-mps-join-eknath-shinde-s-shiv-sena-1782129323513">6 Shiv Sena (UBT) rebel MPs join Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena</a>&nbsp;Later, he served as chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers under President Gerald Ford and as a member of President Ronald Reagan’s Economic Policy Advisory Board.&nbsp;&nbsp;Greenspan was appointed Fed chair in 1987 by President Reagan, a role he held under three other presidents: George HW Bush, Bill Clinton and George W Bush. He retired from the Federal Reserve Board in 2006.

Alan Greenspan’s reign coincided with the so-called Great Moderation, a period of stability from the mid-1980s until 2007 that was marked by low inflation, stock market gains and strong economic growth. His tenure also witnessed crises, like the 1987 stock market crash and the dot-com burst.

Alan Greenspan, an economist who served as chairman of the Federal Reserve under four US presidents, died on Monday, his wife Andrea Mitchell said. He was 100. Greenspan died at his home due to complications of Parkinson’s disease, Mitchell said in a statement. As Federal Reserve chairman from 1987 to 2006, he presided over the longest sustained period of US economic growth in a generation. Greenspan’s reign at the central bank coincided with the so-called Great Moderation, a period of stability from the mid-1980s until 2007 that was marked by low inflation, stock market gains and strong economic growth. “His extraordinary 18 years as chairman left behind an enduring legacy, and his dedication to the institution, the field of economics and public service continues to inspire generations of central bankers,” John Williams, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, said in a statement. Also Read: Vance says Iran has agreed to resume IAEA nuclear inspections, probably by ‘this week’ Greenspan’s tenure was also laced with several financial crises, including the 1987 stock market crash and the dot-com collapse in the early 2000s. In 1996, Greenspan famously coined the phrase “irrational exuberance” to describe bubbles fuelled by unbridled investor optimism, alluding to that era’s craze for internet company stocks. Also Read: CRED founder Kunal Shah becomes global CEO of WhatsApp as Meta invests $900 million in startup Greenspan’s legacy is also linked to the 2008 global financial crisis and the ensuing Great Recession, although the economic collapse occurred after he ended his final term as Fed chair in early 2006. Yet some critics pointed to his “loose money” policies in the preceding years as contributing to the subprime housing crisis that ultimately caused the greatest US economic collapse since the Great Depression. However, Greenspan defended his decisions leading up to the Great Recession and said that he was a victim of “revisionist history” and that he had warned about subprime mortgages and other red flags brewing in the housing market. Also Read: 15 killed in fire at animation centre in Lucknow; many jump off 1st floor As Fed chair, Greenspan also became known for offering often cryptic economic commentary that lawmakers, economists and investors found hard to interpret. Greenspan was born in New York City on March 6, 1926, and exhibited mathematical talent as a child. He studied economics at New York University, where he eventually earned a bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree. His first job was with the National Industrial Conference Board, after which he set up his economic consulting firm, Townsend-Greenspan & Co. Also Read: 6 Shiv Sena (UBT) rebel MPs join Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena Later, he served as chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers under President Gerald Ford and as a member of President Ronald Reagan’s Economic Policy Advisory Board. Greenspan was appointed Fed chair in 1987 by President Reagan, a role he held under three other presidents: George HW Bush, Bill Clinton and George W Bush. He retired from the Federal Reserve Board in 2006.

Alan Greenspan’s reign coincided with the so-called Great Moderation, a period of stability from the mid-1980s until 2007 that was marked by low inflation, stock market gains and strong economic growth. His tenure also witnessed crises, like the 1987 stock market crash and the dot-com burst.

Alan Greenspan, architect of modern US economy and Fed chair under 4 presidents, dies at 100

Kunal Shah's rise in the technology industry did not begin in a boardroom. It started with a call centre job. Today, Shah is known around the world as the founder of CRED and one of India's most recognised entrepreneurs.&nbsp; &nbsp;But long before investors backed his ideas and startups reached billion-dollar valuations, Shah was trying to understand customers, businesses and consumer behaviour from the ground up.&nbsp;His journey offers a look at how one of India's most influential founders built his career.The early years: College dropout and call centre employee Born and raised in Mumbai, Shah initially enrolled in college but chose not to complete his degree. Like many young Indians entering the workforce during the early 2000s, he took a job at a call centre. At the time, India's outsourcing industry was expanding rapidly and exposing a generation of workers to global businesses and customers.For Shah, the experience became an early lesson in understanding how people think, spend and make decisions. Those lessons would later shape his approach to entrepreneurship.<h2>Building businesses before CRED</h2>Before becoming widely known, Shah spent years experimenting with business ideas. He launched ventures in online communities, digital services and internet businesses while India's startup ecosystem was still developing. His breakthrough came with FreeCharge, a mobile recharge platform that made digital payments easier for millions of users. The company grew rapidly as smartphones and mobile internet adoption accelerated across India. In 2015, FreeCharge was acquired by Snapdeal in one of the country's biggest startup deals at the time. The acquisition turned Shah into one of India's most closely watched entrepreneurs.<h2>Why CRED changed everything</h2>After FreeCharge, Shah returned with a new idea. In 2018, he launched CRED, a platform designed to reward users for paying credit card bills on time. Many industry observers initially questioned the concept. However, CRED quickly attracted users, investors and attention from across the technology sector. The company expanded into lending, payments and financial services while building a premium brand that stood apart from many traditional fintech firms. Over time, CRED became one of India's most recognised startup names. From startup founder to global tech leader Shah's career has often reflected larger changes happening in India's digital economy. He belongs to a generation of founders who helped build internet businesses as smartphones, digital payments and online services transformed everyday life. His appointment to one of the technology industry's biggest leadership roles is being viewed as another milestone for India's startup ecosystem. It also highlights how Indian entrepreneurs are increasingly moving beyond domestic markets and influencing global technology products used by billions of people.<h2>Why his story resonates</h2>Kunal Shah's journey stands out because it did not follow a traditional path. There was no elite business school degree or fast track into corporate leadership. Instead, his career was shaped by experimentation, risk-taking and an ability to identify emerging consumer trends. From working in a call centre to building successful startups and eventually reaching one of technology's most influential positions, his story mirrors the growth of India's own digital economy. And for many young entrepreneurs, it serves as a reminder that some of the biggest careers in technology can begin in the most ordinary places.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Before becoming one of India's most influential entrepreneurs, Kunal Shah worked in a call centre and experimented with multiple business ideas. His journey through FreeCharge, CRED and global technology leadership reflects the rise of India's startup ecosystem.


Kunal Shah's rise in the technology industry did not begin in a boardroom. It started with a call centre job. Today, Shah is known around the world as the founder of CRED and one of India's most recognised entrepreneurs. But long before investors backed his ideas and startups reached billion-dollar valuations, Shah was trying to understand customers, businesses and consumer behaviour from the ground up. His journey offers a look at how one of India's most influential founders built his career. The early years: College dropout and call centre employee Born and raised in Mumbai, Shah initially enrolled in college but chose not to complete his degree. Like many young Indians entering the workforce during the early 2000s, he took a job at a call centre. At the time, India's outsourcing industry was expanding rapidly and exposing a generation of workers to global businesses and customers. For Shah, the experience became an early lesson in understanding how people think, spend and make decisions. Those lessons would later shape his approach to entrepreneurship. Building businesses before CRED Before becoming widely known, Shah spent years experimenting with business ideas. He launched ventures in online communities, digital services and internet businesses while India's startup ecosystem was still developing. His breakthrough came with FreeCharge, a mobile recharge platform that made digital payments easier for millions of users. The company grew rapidly as smartphones and mobile internet adoption accelerated across India. In 2015, FreeCharge was acquired by Snapdeal in one of the country's biggest startup deals at the time. The acquisition turned Shah into one of India's most closely watched entrepreneurs. Why CRED changed everything After FreeCharge, Shah returned with a new idea. In 2018, he launched CRED, a platform designed to reward users for paying credit card bills on time. Many industry observers initially questioned the concept. However, CRED quickly attracted users, investors and attention from across the technology sector. The company expanded into lending, payments and financial services while building a premium brand that stood apart from many traditional fintech firms. Over time, CRED became one of India's most recognised startup names. From startup founder to global tech leader Shah's career has often reflected larger changes happening in India's digital economy. He belongs to a generation of founders who helped build internet businesses as smartphones, digital payments and online services transformed everyday life. His appointment to one of the technology industry's biggest leadership roles is being viewed as another milestone for India's startup ecosystem. It also highlights how Indian entrepreneurs are increasingly moving beyond domestic markets and influencing global technology products used by billions of people. Why his story resonates Kunal Shah's journey stands out because it did not follow a traditional path. There was no elite business school degree or fast track into corporate leadership. Instead, his career was shaped by experimentation, risk-taking and an ability to identify emerging consumer trends. From working in a call centre to building successful startups and eventually reaching one of technology's most influential positions, his story mirrors the growth of India's own digital economy. And for many young entrepreneurs, it serves as a reminder that some of the biggest careers in technology can begin in the most ordinary places.

Before becoming one of India's most influential entrepreneurs, Kunal Shah worked in a call centre and experimented with multiple business ideas. His journey through FreeCharge, CRED and global technology leadership reflects the rise of India's startup ecosystem.

How Kunal Shah went from a call centre job to one of tech's biggest roles

Facebook’s parent company Meta is investing around $900 million (around Rs 8,550 crore) in Indian fintech startup CRED, the two companies announced on Monday. As part of the investment, Cred’s founder, Kunal Shah, will take over as global CEO of WhatsApp.&nbsp;CRED will now be led by Miten Sampat as the interim CEO, shared Kunal Shah in a Monday post on X.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Kunal Shah will join Meta as WhatsApp’s next leader. Kunal built CRED into one of India’s most important technology companies, and he brings the kind of builder mentality and global perspective that will serve him well in running the world’s biggest messaging app. I look forward to working with Kunal to continue to make WhatsApp the best service for billions of people and millions of businesses,” Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, said on Monday.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/14-students-killed-in-fire-at-animation-centre-in-lucknow-many-jump-from-1st-floor-1782130828955">15 killed in fire at animation centre in Lucknow; many jump off 1st floor</a>&nbsp;Shah takes over from WhatApp’s current head, Will Cathcart, who will be stepping down after seven years in the role.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Will’s been one of Meta’s most important and effective leaders, helping to bring WhatsApp to over 3 billion people and championing privacy for our community. Will is transitioning to a new role within Meta where he’ll build new products from the ground-up,” Zuckerberg added.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/6-shiv-sena-ubt-rebel-mps-join-eknath-shinde-s-shiv-sena-1782129323513">6 Shiv Sena (UBT) rebel MPs join Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It’s been a minute. 2015–2018 - Exited FreeCharge. Spent time learning and investing. - Pondered about: Why can&#39;t trust be rewarded? Started with $1M of personal capital. - Launched CRED to reward people for paying credit card bills on time. 2019–2025 - Built a system run by a…&mdash; Kunal Shah (@kunalb11) <a href="https://x.com/kunalb11/status/2069043017420599323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Shah said in a post on X, “I started Cred in 2018 with a belief that creditworthiness deserves to be rewarded. In under eight years, that belief has turned into a new category: millions of members, ~₹3,200 crore (~US $325M) in revenue, profitability, a full stack of licences and a strong brand. On this foundation, with additional capital and an extraordinarily talented team, CRED is poised to become an enduring institution for decades to come. I’m stepping back with gratitude and with conviction that the team will keep raising the bar.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-to-sell-supersonic-brahmos-missile-to-uae-talks-in-its-initial-stages-report-1782133327073">India to sell supersonic BrahMos missile to UAE, talks in its initial stages: Report</a>&nbsp;“We have a generational opportunity to build on Kunal’s vision and compound consistently towards becoming a public company. I’m excited to take CRED forward in its next chapter. We are just getting started,” said Miten Sampat.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on Monday that CRED founder Kunal Shah will join Meta as WhatsApp’s next global CEO. Kunal brings the kind of builder mentality and global perspective that will serve him well in running the world’s biggest messaging app, he added.

Facebook’s parent company Meta is investing around $900 million (around Rs 8,550 crore) in Indian fintech startup CRED, the two companies announced on Monday. As part of the investment, Cred’s founder, Kunal Shah, will take over as global CEO of WhatsApp. CRED will now be led by Miten Sampat as the interim CEO, shared Kunal Shah in a Monday post on X. “Kunal Shah will join Meta as WhatsApp’s next leader. Kunal built CRED into one of India’s most important technology companies, and he brings the kind of builder mentality and global perspective that will serve him well in running the world’s biggest messaging app. I look forward to working with Kunal to continue to make WhatsApp the best service for billions of people and millions of businesses,” Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, said on Monday. Also Read: 15 killed in fire at animation centre in Lucknow; many jump off 1st floor Shah takes over from WhatApp’s current head, Will Cathcart, who will be stepping down after seven years in the role. “Will’s been one of Meta’s most important and effective leaders, helping to bring WhatsApp to over 3 billion people and championing privacy for our community. Will is transitioning to a new role within Meta where he’ll build new products from the ground-up,” Zuckerberg added. Also Read: 6 Shiv Sena (UBT) rebel MPs join Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on Monday that CRED founder Kunal Shah will join Meta as WhatsApp’s next global CEO. Kunal brings the kind of builder mentality and global perspective that will serve him well in running the world’s biggest messaging app, he added.

CRED founder Kunal Shah becomes global CEO of WhatsApp as Meta invests $900 million in startup

India's cruise tourism market is being driven by a much younger demographic than global trends, according to Waterways Leisure Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Jurgen Bailom.&nbsp;Speaking to <a href="https://www.zeebiz.com/markets/ipo/news-waterways-leisure-ipo-ceo-jurgen-bailom-shares-roadmap-as-cordelia-cruise-operator-eyes-rapid-expansion-exclusive-interaction-with-anil-singhvi-397705#English">Zee Business </a>Managing Editor Anil Singhvi, Bailom said the average age of guests travelling on Cordelia Cruises is around 34 years, significantly lower than the global cruise industry average. "Crusing is affordable luxury," Bailom said, highlighting what he described as a major shift in consumer behaviour among younger Indian travellers.&nbsp;Waterways Leisure, the company behind Cordelia Cruises, has built its business around Indian consumers, tailoring its offerings to local tastes rather than replicating international cruise models.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/cordelia-cruises-eyes-rapid-expansion-plans-2-new-ships-ceo-jurgen-bailom-to-wion-1782129819551">Cordelia Cruises eyes rapid expansion, plans 2 new ships: CEO Jurgen Bailom to WION</a>&nbsp;According to Bailom, Indian food, Bollywood-themed entertainment, regional language support and family-oriented experiences have helped attract a younger customer base. The company also follows an all-inclusive pricing model, with most onboard services included in the ticket price.&nbsp;Bailom said India remains one of the world's most promising cruise markets despite being at a relatively early stage of development. He noted that cruising continues to be an underpenetrated segment even as rising incomes and changing travel preferences create new opportunities.Beyond leisure holidays, the company is also witnessing demand from weddings, corporate events and group travel segments, which Bailom identified as important growth drivers.&nbsp;Waterways Leisure is preparing to raise around Rs 585 crore through an initial public offering. Bailom said the proceeds would largely be used to support growth initiatives, including fleet expansion.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-acquires-retired-uk-jaguar-aircraft-spare-parts-iaf-fleet-1782035324982">India secures nine decommissioned UK Jaguars to keep strike squadrons operational</a> The company has already made advance payments for two new ships and plans to utilise IPO proceeds towards future lease obligations and acquisition-related commitments.&nbsp;"All the money is for growth," Bailom said, adding that only a small portion of the funds would be used for general corporate purposes.

Cordelia Cruises CEO Jurgen Bailom states that India's cruise market attracts a younger demographic (average age 34) by offering "affordable luxury" with tailored Indian food, entertainment, and all-inclusive pricing.

India's cruise tourism market is being driven by a much younger demographic than global trends, according to Waterways Leisure Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Jurgen Bailom. Speaking to Zee Business Managing Editor Anil Singhvi, Bailom said the average age of guests travelling on Cordelia Cruises is around 34 years, significantly lower than the global cruise industry average. "Crusing is affordable luxury," Bailom said, highlighting what he described as a major shift in consumer behaviour among younger Indian travellers. Waterways Leisure, the company behind Cordelia Cruises, has built its business around Indian consumers, tailoring its offerings to local tastes rather than replicating international cruise models. Also read: Cordelia Cruises eyes rapid expansion, plans 2 new ships: CEO Jurgen Bailom to WION According to Bailom, Indian food, Bollywood-themed entertainment, regional language support and family-oriented experiences have helped attract a younger customer base. The company also follows an all-inclusive pricing model, with most onboard services included in the ticket price. Bailom said India remains one of the world's most promising cruise markets despite being at a relatively early stage of development. He noted that cruising continues to be an underpenetrated segment even as rising incomes and changing travel preferences create new opportunities. Beyond leisure holidays, the company is also witnessing demand from weddings, corporate events and group travel segments, which Bailom identified as important growth drivers. Waterways Leisure is preparing to raise around Rs 585 crore through an initial public offering. Bailom said the proceeds would largely be used to support growth initiatives, including fleet expansion. Also read: India secures nine decommissioned UK Jaguars to keep strike squadrons operational The company has already made advance payments for two new ships and plans to utilise IPO proceeds towards future lease obligations and acquisition-related commitments. "All the money is for growth," Bailom said, adding that only a small portion of the funds would be used for general corporate purposes.

Cordelia Cruises CEO Jurgen Bailom states that India's cruise market attracts a younger demographic (average age 34) by offering "affordable luxury" with tailored Indian food, entertainment, and all-inclusive pricing.

Cruising is 'affordable luxury' for young Indians, says Cordelia Cruises chief

Waterways Leisure, the company behind Cordelia Cruises, is all set for an aggressive expansion as it looks to tap into India's growing cruise tourism market, with plans to add two new ships and expand its footprint across domestic and international destinations. In an exclusive interview with WION, Waterways Leisure Chairman, Executive Director and CEO Jurgen Bailom said India remains one of the most promising cruise markets globally, despite the sector still being at a nascent stage. "India's cruise market is still largely untapped," Bailom said, noting that the country's long coastline, rising disposable incomes and expanding middle class present significant opportunities for growth.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-acquires-retired-uk-jaguar-aircraft-spare-parts-iaf-fleet-1782035324982">India secures nine decommissioned UK Jaguars to keep strike squadrons operational</a>&nbsp;The company is planning to raise ₹585 crore through the IPO, with the bulk of proceeds earmarked for fleet expansion. A significant portion will go towards acquiring and leasing the Sky and Sun vessels.&nbsp;The company currently operates a single cruise ship under the Cordelia Cruises brand and plans to add two more vessels to its fleet. Bailom said the first ship is expected to join operations in September this year, while the second is scheduled for September next year.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/neet-re-exam-a-day-before-re-examination-hyderabad-aspirant-found-dead-suicide-note-says-no-one-is-responsible-1782090376078">NEET re-exam: A day before re-examination, Hyderabad aspirant found dead</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/top-management-of-waterways-leisure-tourism-1781877426196/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/top-management-of-waterways-leisure-tourism-1781877426196/embed</a>&nbsp;According to him, the company has spent the last five years developing and testing cruise routes across India and Southeast Asia. Its itineraries currently cover destinations including Goa, Kochi, Lakshadweep, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Puducherry, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.Bailom said Cordelia Cruises has built its offerings specifically around Indian travellers, setting it apart from many international cruise operators.&nbsp;He highlighted Indian cuisine, Bollywood-themed entertainment, regional language support and family-focused experiences as some of the key features that resonate with domestic consumers.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-bollywood-to-cricket-how-yoga-became-india-s-biggest-global-success-story-1782040787501">From Bollywood to cricket, how yoga became India's biggest global success story</a>

Waterways Leisure plans to aggressively expand Cordelia Cruises by adding two new ships by 2027, targeting India's untapped tourism market with specialized, domestic-focused itineraries and cultural onboard experiences.



Waterways Leisure, the company behind Cordelia Cruises, is all set for an aggressive expansion as it looks to tap into India's growing cruise tourism market, with plans to add two new ships and expand its footprint across domestic and international destinations. In an exclusive interview with WION, Waterways Leisure Chairman, Executive Director and CEO Jurgen Bailom said India remains one of the most promising cruise markets globally, despite the sector still being at a nascent stage. "India's cruise market is still largely untapped," Bailom said, noting that the country's long coastline, rising disposable incomes and expanding middle class present significant opportunities for growth. Also read: India secures nine decommissioned UK Jaguars to keep strike squadrons operational The company is planning to raise ₹585 crore through the IPO, with the bulk of proceeds earmarked for fleet expansion. A significant portion will go towards acquiring and leasing the Sky and Sun vessels. The company currently operates a single cruise ship under the Cordelia Cruises brand and plans to add two more vessels to its fleet. Bailom said the first ship is expected to join operations in September this year, while the second is scheduled for September next year. Also read: NEET re-exam: A day before re-examination, Hyderabad aspirant found dead https://www.wionews.com/videos/top-management-of-waterways-leisure-tourism-1781877426196/embed According to him, the company has spent the last five years developing and testing cruise routes across India and Southeast Asia. Its itineraries currently cover destinations including Goa, Kochi, Lakshadweep, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Puducherry, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. Bailom said Cordelia Cruises has built its offerings specifically around Indian travellers, setting it apart from many international cruise operators. He highlighted Indian cuisine, Bollywood-themed entertainment, regional language support and family-focused experiences as some of the key features that resonate with domestic consumers. Also read: From Bollywood to cricket, how yoga became India's biggest global success story

Waterways Leisure plans to aggressively expand Cordelia Cruises by adding two new ships by 2027, targeting India's untapped tourism market with specialised, domestic-focused itineraries and cultural onboard experiences.&nbsp;

Cordelia Cruises eyes rapid expansion, plans 2 new ships: CEO Jurgen Bailom to WION