Daily News - Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Bharti to bring in Starlink’s satellite net services to India (The Hindu)
Bharti Airtel has signed a distribution agreement to sell SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet services in India, marking a significant step for Elon Musk’s firm, though regulatory approvals from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Home Affairs are still pending. The partnership aims to expand high-speed broadband access across India, especially in remote and rural areas, by offering Starlink equipment through Airtel’s retail stores and integrating services for businesses, schools, health centers, and communities. Bharti Airtel’s Managing Director, Gopal Vittal, emphasized that Starlink will complement Airtel’s existing products, ensuring reliable and affordable internet connectivity nationwide.
India emerges as top source of foreign direct investment into Dubai (The Hindu)
India has become the top source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Dubai in 2024, accounting for 21.5% of total inflows, ahead of the U.S. (13.7%), France (11%), and the U.K. (10%), as Indian entrepreneurs, consultants, and businesses continue to migrate due to Dubai’s favorable tax regime and business-friendly policies. Dubai has retained its position as the world’s No.1 destination for Greenfield FDI projects for the fourth consecutive year, according to Financial Times Ltd.‘s ‘fDi Markets’ data. This sustained investment trend highlights Dubai’s growing appeal as a global business hub while underscoring the economic impact of India’s outward investment shift.
India fintech investments top APAC (Financial Chronicle)
India remained the top fintech investment destination in the Asia-Pacific region in 2024, attracting $4.1 billion despite a decline from $4.4 billion in 2023, while China saw a steep drop from $2.6 billion to $687 million—its lowest level since 2014. The overall fintech investment in the region fell to $11.4 billion, driven by geopolitical uncertainties, global government changes, corporate cost-cutting measures, and continued weakness in China’s fintech sector. While lending-focused solutions struggled, major deals in India included a $334 million investment into DMI Finance by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, with Niwas Housing Finance, Mintifi, and Finova Capital also securing funding, while Australia saw fintech investments more than double to $2.1 billion.
Diamonds woo China buyers (Financial Chronicle)
China’s return to the diamond market after the pandemic, as seen in the active participation of Chinese buyers at the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show, is expected to help stabilize and boost India’s gems and jewellery exports in FY26. Once controlling 22% of global diamond demand, China’s share had nearly vanished in recent years due to a shift towards gold, contributing to India’s diamond exports plunging from $9.3 billion in FY19 to $4.3 billion in FY24. With renewed efforts by De Beers and Chow Tai Fook to improve consumer perception and Hong Kong serving as India’s second-largest market for cut and polished diamonds, exports are anticipated to recover in the coming months.
Slow 5G monetisation may delay 6G launch (Financial Express)
The slow monetization of 5G and the lack of compelling use cases are expected to delay the launch of 6G in India beyond the 2030 target, as telecom operators globally face a low return on investment (ROI) of just 3%, significantly lower than bank deposit rates. Despite telcos investing $109 billion (85% of total telecom network investments) and experiencing rising expenditures on GPUs due to increasing data consumption, enterprise-driven 5G applications such as IoT and sensors have not materialized as expected, leading to cautious infrastructure expansion. Experts emphasize that without strong 5G adoption, 6G deployment would lack viable business models, and they urge the government to create a conducive environment without market-distorting interventions, while also addressing funding gaps for 6G research and private enterprise spectrum needs.
