🇪🇺 EU-India ties

Good morning and happy Friday! Hope you have a restful and rejuvenating weekend when it arrives 🫰 

- Ruchirr Sharma & Shatakshi Sharmaa  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 🇪🇺 EU-India ties

• 🇮🇳 Extraordinary Indian workforce

• 🗞️ Bite-sized summaries

  • 🚛 China’s fight

  • ⛅️ Delhi’s warm winters

• 🧑‍🍳 What else is cookin’?

• 🍿 Entertainment, Entertainment, Entertainment

MARKETS

🇮🇳 India

• Indian stock markets ended mixed. Financial stocks rallied due to the RBI's decision to reduce risk weights on NBFC loans. However, cable and wire sector stocks plummeted following UltraTech Cement's entry announcement1. Mid and small-cap indices faced selling pressure, with BSE MidCap and SmallCap indices closing lower.

🌍️ International

• US stocks ended in the red. AI stocks, including Nvidia, faced pressure, while economic concerns and trade policy uncertainties contributed to market volatility.

GEOPOLITICS

🇪🇺 EU-India ties

The visit of the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the EU College of Commissioners to India marks a significant moment in India-EU relations. With high-level discussions planned between Indian leadership and EU representatives, the focus is on trade, investment, and technology partnerships.

Here’s the tea:

• India and the EU have long been key trade and investment partners, with bilateral trade in goods and services reaching nearly $200 billion last year.

• The EU has also invested around $120 billion in India. Negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), investment, and Geographical Indications (GI) agreements have gained momentum, with the 10th round of trade talks scheduled next month.

• However, challenges remain, particularly as India navigates trade policies in a shifting global landscape.

Geopolitical changes have created new opportunities for collaboration. While India and the EU differ on issues such as the Ukraine conflict, their shared interests in the Indo-Pacific, climate action, and technology partnerships offer common ground. The India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) and initiatives like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) highlight efforts to deepen engagement beyond traditional trade.

The EU's energy transition and climate policies, including the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), present areas of divergence, yet both sides recognize the urgency of climate action. Collaborative efforts in the International Solar Alliance and climate technology transfer to the Global South demonstrate their potential for joint leadership in sustainability.

Migration and workforce mobility are also key areas of discussion. With many European countries facing labor shortages and declining competitiveness, India’s skilled workforce presents a viable solution. Several migration and mobility agreements are already in place, strengthening people-to-people ties.

Overall: The EU’s outreach to India, including engagements beyond major players like Germany and France to Nordic, Central, and Eastern European countries, reflects a more diversified approach. However, for meaningful collaboration, both sides must commit to deeper understanding and strategic alignment, ensuring that discussions go beyond surface-level issues to address long-term mutual interests.

Read more: Economic Times

INDIA

🇮🇳 Extraordinary Indian workforce

Ford’s Chief Digital & Information Officer, Mike Amend, emphasizes India’s unique talent pool and its growing role in the global tech industry. Speaking about Ford’s expansion in Bengaluru, he highlights the country's rapid adaptability and skilled workforce, which continue to attract global companies.

Ford recently inaugurated a 350-seater office in Bengaluru, complementing its long-standing presence in Chennai, where it employs nearly 12,000 people. This new office focuses on specialized talent in digital experience, AI, e-commerce, and DevSecOps. Amend stresses that India’s tech capabilities and continuous learning culture make it a crucial player in Ford’s global strategy.

Beyond technical expertise, India's dynamic talent market aligns well with the fast-evolving global landscape. Amend notes that major metropolitan areas like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, and Mumbai have experienced rapid tech-driven growth, further solidifying India’s position as a digital hub.

He also underlines the importance of continuous learning and investment in education to sustain this momentum. Collaborations between industries, educational institutions, and policymakers will be key to ensuring India’s workforce remains competitive in emerging technologies.

Overall: As global companies increasingly look to India for skilled professionals, the country’s robust talent ecosystem will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of technology and innovation.

Read more: Economic Times

GENERAL OVERVIEW

🗞️ Bite-sized summaries

🚛 China’s fight - As the U.S.-China trade war intensifies, economists predict that China will withstand the economic strain through policy adjustments and strengthening global partnerships. China has proactively mitigated the impact by making it easier for other nations to do business with them, thus reducing reliance on U.S. trade. Measures such as retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products and the Belt and Road Initiative are central to China's strategy to maintain stability. Despite challenges, these efforts are expected to preserve the resilience of China's economy in the face of escalating tensions.

⛅️ Delhi’s warm winters - Delhi recorded its warmest February night in 74 years, with the minimum temperature at Safdarjung reaching 19.5°C on February 27, 2025, the highest since 1951. This temperature surpasses the previous record of 19°C in February 2015. Due to cloudy skies and light drizzle, temperatures are expected to stabilise and drop slightly until early March, with a new weather disturbance bringing possible thunderstorms and rain.

HEADLINES

🧑‍🍳 What else is cookin’?

What’s happening in India (and around the world 🌍️)

• Perplexity AI launching $50 million venture fund to back early-stage startups.

• NASA sets coverage for Intuitive Machines’ next commercial Moon launch.

• Trump says Zelenskyy is coming to the White House to sign US-Ukraine critical minerals deal.

• Trump administration sets the stage for large-scale federal worker layoffs in a new memo.

CULTURE

🍿 Entertainment, Entertainment, Entertainment

• Sikandar teaser: Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna's film is a high-octane action entertainer.

• Superboys Of Malegaon review: The film is an all-round delight.