©️ Perplexity CEO: Big Tech can’t copy

Good morning. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla returned safely to Earth after an 18-day mission aboard the ISS.

He’s now the first Indian to live and work in space since Rakesh Sharma’s historic flight in 1984. 🚀🇮🇳

Ruchirr Sharma & Shatakshi Sharmaa  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• ©️ Perplexity CEO: Big Tech can’t copy

•  📉 Fewer missed shots, but still a long way to go

• Bite-sized summaries

  • 🚗 Tesla enters India with luxury focus

  • 📜 RBI launches new business outlook surveys

• 🧑‍🍳 What else is cookin’?

MARKETS

🇮🇳 India

• Markets closed slightly higher, supported by gains in metals, realty, and auto stocks. Benchmark indices edged up as selective buying in broader markets added to the momentum. Positive sentiment was underpinned by optimism ahead of inflation data and corporate earnings, while investors remained mindful of global headwinds and foreign fund flows.

🌍️ International

• US markets closed mixed as investors weighed earnings reports against ongoing trade tensions. Caution prevailed amid geopolitical concerns and uncertainty over global tariffs, though positive corporate results offered some support.

PRIVATE MARKETS

©️ Perplexity CEO: Big Tech can’t copy

Aravind Srinivas isn’t losing sleep over Google, OpenAI, or Anthropic.

The Perplexity AI CEO, fresh off launching Comet - an AI-powered web browser backed by Nvidia - believes Big Tech simply can’t copy what they’ve built. “It’s much harder to replicate a browser than it is to spin up another chatbot,” he said, speaking to startup founders at Y Combinator.

Srinivas argues that building a browser with deeply integrated AI isn’t just a tech challenge - it’s a time challenge. And in a crowded AI market, even the most well-funded giants can’t win everywhere. “You can either be great at models or a few products. You can’t dominate everything,” he said.

Comet, launched earlier this month, combines browsing, research, summarization, and productivity tools into one interface. It aims to be a smart assistant layered over the web - able to compare products, book meetings, summarize articles, and more.

While OpenAI is reportedly building its own AI browser, Srinivas isn’t fazed. “I’m assuming they’ll eventually try. But this is a long game,” he said.

As for the online criticism, think: “Perplexity is dead” - Srinivas just laughs it off. “I love it,” he said. “It shows we’re in a market where monopoly hopefully doesn’t exist. That’s a better world for startups.”

The broader takeaway? In a space dominated by trillion-dollar players, nimble innovation still has a shot. And Perplexity thinks Comet might just be its moonshot.

Read more: Economic Times

HEALTHCARE

 📉 Fewer missed shots, but still a long way to go

India has made major strides in closing its vaccine gap - but the global race to reach every child is far from over.

• According to a new UN report, India accounted for 6.4% of the world’s zero-dose children in 2024 - kids who haven’t received a single vaccine, not even the basic DTP shot (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis).

• That’s nearly half of South Asia’s unvaccinated children.

But here’s the glass-half-full part: India slashed its zero-dose count by 43% this year. That progress helped South Asia post a record-high for immunisation. Globally, 89% of infants received at least one dose of DTP—almost back to pre-Covid levels.

The big picture? 

• Immunisation programs are bouncing back after pandemic disruptions, but challenges like conflict, poor access, and vaccine misinformation still keep 14.3 million kids globally from getting any shots.

• And troublingly, even richer countries are starting to slip on coverage.

The takeaway: Vaccines are among the most cost-effective public health tools out there. They prevent disease, boost economies, and save lives. While India is charging ahead, global progress is stalling - especially in fragile regions where crises push health systems to the brink.

If the world wants to stay on track for its 2030 goals, the message is clear: keep investing, keep educating, and don’t let immunisation momentum fade. Because no child should die from a disease we already know how to prevent.

Read more: Economic Times

GENERAL OVERVIEW

🗞️ Bite-sized summaries

🚗 Tesla enters India with luxury focus - Tesla has launched its first showroom in Mumbai’s BKC, showcasing the Model Y crossover priced at ₹60–68 lakh. With a second outlet planned for Delhi, the move marks Tesla’s cautious entry into India’s luxury EV market. While sales are expected to be limited, Tesla aims to build brand presence and test demand in a country where EV penetration is still under 5%. The company faces steep import tariffs and stiff competition from German automakers. Although no local manufacturing is planned yet, this mirrors Tesla’s early strategy in China—laying groundwork for potential expansion as infrastructure and trade conditions evolve.

📜 RBI launches new business outlook surveys - The Reserve Bank of India has launched its 111th Industrial Outlook Survey (IOS) for the manufacturing sector, alongside the 46th Services and Infrastructure Outlook Survey (SIOS). These quarterly surveys aim to assess current business conditions and expectations for the next two quarters, focusing on demand, finance, employment, and pricing. The surveys collect data from selected companies, though other firms may participate by downloading the questionnaire from RBI's website. The results, released in summary form, help gauge economic sentiment and shape policy decisions, with confidentiality of respondents maintained. This initiative supports proactive monitoring of India’s evolving economic landscape.

HEADLINES

🧑‍🍳 What else is cookin’?

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

• Why Shubhanshu Shukla matters so much for India's space tech.

• Amazon Prime Day is past its prime.

• NHAI GHG Emissions down in 2023-24 despite increase in highway construction.

• Delhi HC orders Amazon, Flipkart to remove FMCG goods misusing ‘Reliance’, ‘Jio’ trademarks.

• India orders airlines to inspect certain Boeing models after Air India crash.

CULTURE

🍿 Entertainment, Entertainment, Entertainment

• Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani welcome a baby girl 👶 

• Emmys nominations snubs: Squid Game shut out, Handmaid’s Tale only lands one nod.