📱 Offline is the new online

Good morning. Apparently, the 9-to-5 is dead, long live the 24/7.

A new study shows millennials aren’t clocking out - they’re clocking around the clock, juggling pings, emails, and late-night Teams sessions well past office hours.

Here’s your reminder to clock out 😎 

Ruchirr Sharma & Shatakshi Sharmaa  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 📱 Offline is the new online

• 💥 NATO to Putin

• 🗞️ Bite-sized summaries

  • ✈️ Middle East flights grounded amid missile strikes

  • 🇮🇳 Geopolitical tensions could rock India’s trade

• 🧑‍🍳 What else is cookin’?

MARKETS

🇮🇳 India

• Indian stock markets declined, as geopolitical tensions escalated following US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, triggering risk-off sentiment among investors. Both Sensex and Nifty closed lower, with IT and auto stocks leading the losses. Defensive buying helped limit the fall, but overall sentiment remained cautious amid global uncertainty.

TECH

📱 Offline is the new online

India’s smartphone brands are logging off - and stepping out.

After years of riding the e-commerce wave, smartphone makers in India are dusting off their in-store signage and heading back to brick-and-mortar. Why? Because online sales are cooling faster than a phone overheating in Delhi’s summer sun.

According to IDC, online smartphone shipments dropped 20% in April alone, marking the seventh straight month of decline. Meanwhile, offline sales? Up over 10% - and growing for eight months running. Offline now accounts for 58% of total smartphone sales in India, its highest share since 2019.

What’s going on?

A few things:

• Premium phones are booming: As India’s average selling price climbs to ~$274, more buyers want hands-on experience before splurging.

• Small towns, big potential: Tier 2 and 3 cities are driving offline growth, where people trust local retailers more than flash sales and online “exclusive” drops.

• Financing is key: Offline stores are making it easier to buy phones on EMI, something ecommerce still struggles to match seamlessly.

Brands are responding. Xiaomi’s online share dropped from 45% to 39% in a year. Motorola? Down from 82% to 64%. OnePlus is also setting up shop - literally - in smaller towns to meet customers where they are.

Even Apple’s cashing in: It had its best-ever Q1 in India, shipping 3M iPhones, a 23% YoY jump. Meanwhile, Vivo, Samsung, and Xiaomi continue battling for market share, all doubling down on retail partnerships.

🔮 Zoom out: The ecommerce honeymoon might be over. For brands, the next phase of growth lies in touchscreens and handshakes. India’s next 500 million smartphone users don’t just want a device - they want a demo, a deal, and maybe a discount on the charger.

Read more: Economic Times

GEOPOLITICS

💥 NATO to Putin

Mark Rutte, the new face of NATO, isn’t mincing words. If Vladimir Putin dares to attack a NATO ally, the response will be swift - and devastating.

Rutte also called out Iran for playing an increasingly dangerous role in the Ukraine conflict, adding another wrinkle to the West’s growing list of security concerns. As NATO leaders gather in The Hague, the message is loud and clear: this alliance means business.

So, why the sudden escalation in tone?

• Russia’s war machine is humming. Moscow is churning out ammunition faster than NATO can respond, sparking alarm and urgent calls for a massive ramp-up in air and missile defense capabilities.

• Budget blowup incoming. Rutte is championing a “quantum leap” in defence spending - suggesting NATO members commit 3.5% of GDP to defence, plus another 1.5% to security infrastructure. That’s a bold nudge toward Trump’s old 5% goal, once seen as political threat but now inching toward reality.

What’s really at stake?

NATO’s Article 5—the cornerstone of the alliance—means that an attack on one is an attack on all. And Rutte made it crystal clear: it’s not just a symbolic clause. With billions pledged for Ukraine and new air-defense systems in the pipeline, NATO is shifting from defense to deterrence.

The big picture:

NATO’s posture is hardening. The alliance is bracing for long-term confrontation, and its leaders are laser-focused on credibility, deterrence, and readiness. If Putin expected NATO fatigue, what he’s getting instead is a military machine that’s rearming, refocusing, and ready to hit back.

Read more: Economic Times

GENERAL OVERVIEW

🗞️ Bite-sized summaries

✈️ Middle East flights grounded amid missile strikes - Multiple Middle Eastern countries - including Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq - have closed their airspace following Iranian missile strikes on U.S. bases, triggering widespread disruption across global flight routes. The closures have forced airlines to reroute or suspend services, with ripple effects hitting key corridors between Asia, Europe, and North America. In response, Air India temporarily suspended all flights operating over the region. Air India Express diverted a Kochi–Doha flight to Muscat and turned back another from Kannur mid-air. IndiGo also warned of possible delays and last-minute changes. With Iranian, Iraqi, and Israeli skies now considered high-risk, carriers are scrambling to find alternative paths - often adding time, cost, and complexity. The escalating tension underscores how quickly geopolitics can reshape global air travel.

🇮🇳 Geopolitical tensions could rock India’s trade - Escalating conflict in West Asia threatens to hit India’s foreign trade hard. With ports like Dubai and Salalah - key hubs for Indian exports and imports—on high alert, shipping routes and logistics chains are facing disruption. Higher insurance premiums and fuel costs are already squeezing margins, forcing traders to re-route cargo around hotspots like the Red Sea. As supply chains stretch and delays mount, exporters may struggle to fulfill orders, especially in time-sensitive sectors like pharmaceuticals and perishables. If Iran’s tensions spill over into maritime domains, the pressure could ripple across India’s economy, potentially pushing up inflation and triggering supply shortages. In response, India is stepping up surveillance, diversifying trade routes, and exploring partnerships with alternative hubs. But in the short term, businesses should brace for rising costs and timetable shocks - because when it comes to global trade, geography is a double-edged sword.

HEADLINES

🧑‍🍳 What else is cookin’?

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

• Jony Ive deal removed from OpenAI Site over trademark suit.

• Oman becomes first Gulf state to launch income tax.

• Former India spinner Dilip Doshi dies aged 77.