- Up n' Running
- Posts
- 🇮🇳 India talks tough
Good morning.
2022: McKinsey is paid $55M to advise on the merger of Warner Brothers and Discovery.
2022–2025: The firm charges an additional $37M to guide a series of branding changes—first rebranding HBO to HBO Max, then to Max, and eventually back to HBO Max.
2025: McKinsey bills another $63M to recommend that Warner Brothers and Discovery should operate as separate brands once again.
Full circle - for a small fee of $155M 🔵💸
Ruchirr Sharma & Shatakshi Sharmaa
TABLE OF CONTENTS
🇮🇳 India talks tough
🆒 Cooling smarter
🗞️ Bite-sized summaries
🧪 Superintelligence lab
🔥 Fire sales
🧑🍳 What else is cookin’?
MARKETS
🇮🇳 India
indicates per gram rate in Delhi | Stock data as of market close 10/06/2025
The stock market saw a mixed session. Sectoral performance was varied, with IT and select large-cap stocks advancing, while others lagged. Broader markets outperformed, with midcap and smallcap indices posting notable gains, reflecting ongoing investor interest outside the main benchmarks despite the lack of clear direction in the headline indices.
🌍️ International
Stock data as of market close 10/06/2025
US stocks closed higher, buoyed by optimism over ongoing US-China trade talks and hopes for progress in easing tariff tensions. Gains in technology stocks, particularly semiconductor and biotech shares, helped offset weakness in other sectors as investors looked ahead to key US inflation data and the Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy decision.
TRADE TALKS
As India and the US edge toward a major trade deal, the tone of the talks is shifting — and in New Delhi’s favour. With a July 9 deadline looming over suspended US tariffs on Indian goods, both sides are racing against the clock. But this time, India has a reason to negotiate hard — and it has everything to do with Trump’s urgency.
Veteran economist Swaminathan Aiyar argues that India should take a page out of China’s playbook: stand firm, call Trump’s bluff, and negotiate from a position of strength. Why? Because Trump wants quick wins. With his 90-day reciprocal tariff window ticking, he's shown signs of softening — even offering high-end tech concessions in exchange for rare earths from other countries.
India’s incentive is clear. The US is India’s biggest trading partner, with $131.84 billion in bilateral trade last year and a $41 billion surplus in India’s favor. The goal now? Doubling trade to $500 billion by 2030. But India wants more than numbers — it wants fairness. That means slashing US duties on its key exports: textiles, gems, chemicals, shrimp, and bananas. Meanwhile, the US is pushing for concessions on electric vehicles, dairy, wine, and GM crops — areas where India remains cautious.
The broader takeaway? This isn’t just about tariffs. It’s about India maturing as a global negotiator. By standing its ground, India is signaling that it won’t be a passive participant in global trade — not anymore. If the deal lands, it could redefine how India plays the game: not as a junior partner, but as a confident peer at the table.
Read more: Economic Times
ENVIRONMENT
In a bold move to curb soaring energy demand, India is set to regulate the temperature range of new air conditioners — fixing a lower limit of 20°C and an upper cap of 28°C. The measure, announced by Union Power and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, targets energy efficiency at scale, as the country adds about 1.5 crore ACs annually to its already 10-crore-strong base.
Why does this matter? Every single degree drop in AC temperature increases energy consumption by 6%. By preventing users from cranking the thermostat to extremes, this regulation could slash both household energy bills and nationwide power demand.
Alongside this, the government is ramping up support for clean energy storage. A fresh ₹5,400 crore Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme aims to kickstart 30 GWh worth of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), potentially unlocking ₹33,000 crore in private investment. This builds on existing support for 13.2 GWh of storage and is vital to balance the growing share of renewable energy in India's power mix.
These efforts are part of a broader narrative: India’s transition from an energy-deficient nation to one aiming for surplus. With a record 34 GW of new generation capacity added in 2024–25 — 29.5 GW from renewables — India’s total capacity now stands at 472.5 GW, nearly doubling since 2014.
The message is clear: India isn’t just turning up the thermostat—it’s turning the dial on sustainable energy policy. By blending smart consumption with investment in clean infrastructure, the country is laying the foundation for a cooler, greener, and more power-secure future.
Read more: The Economic Times
GENERAL OVERVIEW
🗞️ Bite-sized summaries
🧪 Superintelligence lab - Meta is launching a new AI superintelligence lab, with Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang set to play a key role. The company is in talks to invest over $10 billion in Scale AI, as part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s broader push to revamp Meta’s AI strategy and rival leaders like Google and Microsoft. Meta plans to spend up to $65 billion this year on AI infrastructure. The initiative comes amid internal challenges and intensifying competition in the AI race. With a focus on creating superintelligence—AI beyond human capabilities—Meta is betting big on reshaping the future of technology.
🔥 Fire sales - Byju’s has sold its US-based assets, Tynker and Epic, for drastically reduced prices amid ongoing financial and legal troubles. Tynker was sold to CodeHS for $2.2 million—down from the $200 million Byju’s paid in 2021. Epic, bought for $500 million in 2022, was sold to China’s TAL Education Group for $95 million. A US bankruptcy court approved both sales. The transactions come amid allegations of fund misappropriation by Byju’s leadership, legal battles with lenders over a $1.2 billion loan, and internal disputes in India regarding asset sales and shareholding dilution at Aakash Institute.
HEADLINES
🧑🍳 What else is cookin’?
What’s happening in India (and around the world 🌍️)
Uber partners with AI firm Wayve for autonomy trials in UK.
Maruti Suzuki cuts near-term EV production by two-thirds amid rare earths crisis.
Germany pitches itself as a reliable partner for Indian students amid US visa uncertainties.
10-minute delivery boom fuels hyperlocal warehousing surge in urban and tier-2 India.
You’re the best :)
It would mean the world to us if you shared this link with a friend!
P.S.: Up n’ Running can now be installed as an app on your phone! Here’s how:
Click on the banner above and select your browser of choice.
You will receive a pop-up saying “Install the app.”
Follow the instructions on that pop-up, and voila - you will now receive Up n’ Running updates directly to your phone! It’s also an easy way for you to access previous Up n’ Running editions at will.
That’s all for today folks - have a lovely day and we’ll see you tomorrow.