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< Back China’s Single’s Day shopping festival losing its appeal 12 Nov 2024 Alibaba started the popular shopping event on November 11th, 2009. Chinese annual shopping event called Single’s Day or Double 11 was started by the c-commerce giant Alibaba and adopted by other websites like Pinduoduo and JD.com. It began as a one-day event but soon became a festival, as Chinese shopping platforms began the promotions weeks ahead to lure in shoppers. The pandemic, coupled with China’s sluggish domestic economy, a real estate crisis, and deflationary pressures, discouraged consumers from spending lavishly like before. This slowing trend pushed the e-commerce portals to offer promotions to markets abroad with global free shipping, thus helping local merchants to sell worldwide. Customers believe discounts aren’t as significant, and prices are inflated before merchants offer discounts. Moreover, the government’s latest financial stimuli have failed to boost consumer confidence. The gross merchandising volume sales across major e-commerce portals grew by only 2% compared with double-digited growth pre-pandemic, Syntun, the data provider, reported. Previous Next

< Back Star Air begins Mumbai to Solapur flights from Oct 15 29 Sept 2025 Their flight will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The new route between Solapur and Mumbai is Star India’s 31 st route. The four-weekly flights will commence from mid-October, with fares starting at ₹3,999, all-inclusive. Tickets are available now on its website, CNBC reported. It is part of the regional airline’s expansion plan under the government’s UDAN scheme (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik). The airline aims to connect underserved Tier 2 and 3 cities. Star Air, owned by the Kolhapur-based Ghodavats, launched in 2019. It operates Embraer E175 and E145 with separate seating combinations and business and economy classes. Star India turned profitable in FY2025 with a profit of ₹68 crore and became the Number 2 airline in India. It has avoided hiring expensive talent to control its costs. It has 1,000 direct and 500 indirect hires. In FY2024, Star Air received ₹258 crore as a UDAN subsidy, against a total income of ₹364 crore. From four cities in 2019, it now flies to 32 cities. Check out my new book, THE BLACK FLAMES , on Amazon Kindle. A gripping, high-stakes novel. ⭐⭐⭐⭐.6 stars on Amazon ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on Goodreads Previous Next

< Back CaratLane sells 27% more stake to Titan for ₹4,621 crores Ishita Nigam 21 Aug 2023 This deal brings Titan's stake in the online ecommerce retailer to 98.28%. It is the second biggest exit for an eCommerce founder after the Bansals exit from Flipkart in their deal with Walmart. In the country's second largest eCommerce deal, CaratLane's founder, Mithun Sacheti, sold another 27% stake to Titan for ₹4,621 crores. This brings the online jewellery retailer's total worth to ₹17,000 crores ($2 billion) and Titan's entire stake in the company to 98.28%. CaratLane’s relationship with Titan began in 2010 with a strategic partnership with its jewellery brand, Tanishq. In 2015, Titan’s then MD, Bhaskar Bhatt, expressed interest in investing in CaratLane. To get him onboard, CaratLane parted ways with its existing investor Tiger Global, who had just pumped $30 million into the company. Titan then bought a 62% stake in CaratLane in 2016 for around ₹563 crores and bought more shares between 2016 and 2019. Mithun Sacheti, the heir of Jaipur Gems, was able to turn around his loss-making venture profitable under Titan’s partnership. Previous Next

< Back PepsiCo, ITC vying for Balaji’s 10% stake 12 Sept 2025 Rajkot-based Balaji Wafers has been valued at ₹40,000 crore. Several companies, including PepsiCo, ITC, Temasek, and TPG, have queued up to buy a 10% stake in Balaji Wafers. PepsiCo had similar discussions in 2013 to buy a 49-51% stake, but Balaji resisted then. The Viranis, owners of Balaji Wafers, are eyeing professionalising management for the organisation, a move similar to Vadilal’s recent CEO appointment. 80% of their revenue comes from sales in Gujarat alone. Balaji Wafers is known for products like chips, noodles, and wafers, and is a prominent name in Western and Central India. Temasek acquired a 10% stake in Haldiram’s for $1 billion in March this year. It was the largest deal in the Indian packaged food sector. The IMARC Group predicts the Indian snacks market to double from ₹42,695 crore in 2023 to ₹95,521.8 crore in 2032, growing at an 8.63% CAGR. Local brands like Balaji are dominating the space compared to international brands. Check out my new book, THE BLACK FLAMES , on Amazon Kindle. A gripping, high-stakes novel Previous Next

< Back Russia plans to manufacture trains and components in India 30 Nov 2024 Moscow wants to set up manufacturing facilities in India to cater to domestic demand. As Russia aims to cater to its growing domestic demand, it is considering investing in train and component manufacturing in India. Moscow already has a few supply contacts from India that it intends to expand. The news came a week after Indian Railways awarded the contract for making the new version of Vande Bharat Express trains to three companies, including Kinet Railway Solution – a joint venture between Transmashholding (TMH), which is a Russian rolling stock company, and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited. Kinet will manufacture and maintain 1920 coaches for Vande Bharat sleeper coaches for 35 years, as per a ₹55,000 crore agreement. TMH CEO Kirill Lipa outlined three reasons why Russia wants to manufacture trains in India. The first is the favourable investment climate, including low interest rates. TMH plans to develop facilities in India to manufacture trains and components to serve the Indian market and abroad. Previous Next

< Back The Pros and Perils of E20 fuel 18 Aug 2025 India rolled out 20% ethanol-based petrol in July 2025, five years ahead of its 2030 target. India began blending 1.5% ethanol with petrol in 2014, increased it to 10% in 2022, and to 20% in July 2025. It is now available across 1,900 retail outlets. Ethanol emits 65% less CO 2 than petrol and has a higher octane rating (around 108.5). It helps burn petrol better and reduces carbon emissions. Being domestically produced, it reduced India’s oil import dependence and saved ₹1.44 lakh crore in foreign exchange since 2014. Reduced mileage, rust-related damage, and clogged filters are a few issues Indians are reporting due to consistent ethanol usage. Ethanol absorbs moisture, thus accelerating corrosion. Its low energy content causes efficiency reduction. New cars manufactured after 2024 are compliant with E20, but the older versions are not. Non-compatible engines may face corrosion and lubrication issues. As per the government, E20 usage will not void insurance. However, the warranty may be compromised due to fuel compatibility issues. Check out my DEBUT BOOK, The Black Flames on Amazon Kindle. Previous Next

< Back India, Ireland to set up Joint Economic Commission 10 Mar 2025 Around 15 of the global top 30 semiconductor makers in terms of revenue are in Ireland. During the Indian External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar’s two-day visit to Ireland, the two countries agreed to establish a Joint Economic Commission (JEC) to coordinate on trade and global economic issues like the World Trade Organisation. This was the first visit by an Indian external affairs minister to Ireland and the first high-level visit after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ireland in 2015. The formal agreement will be signed this year. The JEC senior officials will meet once every two years to strengthen bilateral ties and promote collaboration in AI, cybersecurity, fintech, and semiconductors. Also, S Jaishankar inaugurated new Consulate Generals of India in Belfast and Manchester on March 7th and 8th. The EU’s College of Commissioners led by Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission President, visited India on February 27-28. During the meeting, India and Ireland decided to finalise the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by this year-end. Never miss another post from SalestorrsNews150. Follow Salestorrs on WhatsApp , LinkedIn , Facebook , X , and Instagram . Previous Next

< Back Shankh Air receives the Civil Aviation Ministry's nod to start operations 25 Sept 2024 It is now seeking approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to start flight operations. Shankh Air will be the first scheduled carrier from Uttar Pradesh, with its hubs at Lucknow and Noida and operations from major cities like Agra, Varanasi, and Gorakhpur. It will cover major inter- and intra-state routes to popular cities with limited direct flight options. It will be a full-service budget airline with a twin-class configuration operating Boeing New Generation 737-800 narrow-body fleet. It will be the first carrier to operate from Noida’s Jewar Airport and offer its passengers regional cuisines. The airline got an NOC from the Union Aviation Ministry, which will be valid for three years. Shankh Air’s Chairperson, Shravan Kumar Vishwakarma, who comes from the infrastructure and trading industries, now plans to grow in aviation. Shankh Air’s co-founders and senior management met with Noida Airport’s CEO, Christoph Schnellmann, and COO, Kiran Jain, in March to discuss a partnership supporting UP’s plans to enhance air connectivity in the state. Previous Next

< Back Govt launches AI-based National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) 20 Aug 2024 The app will connect farmers with agricultural scientists to improve pest control measures. The Union Government launched the AI-based NPSS app on August 15, Indian Independence Day, to connect farmers with agricultural experts on pest control. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan announced the new system will reduce farmers’ dependence on pesticide retailers and boost awareness of pest management. The app analyses pest infestations in real time, thus allowing for timely interventions. Farmers can upload images of affected crops on the app, which reach the experts for rapid diagnosis and quick response. Accurate pest management will help avoid the overuse of pesticides, hence promoting sustainable agricultural practices. State-level programs will widen this app's reach to 140 million farmers, who will receive experts’ support according to their regional agricultural challenges. They will also receive support for boosting crop yield, seasonal forecasting, improving IoT devices for efficient farm management, and choosing better-suited crops for a farm’s needs. The app also has a chatbot for quick assistance. Previous Next

< Back Domestic and global brands flock to Indian tier II cities 17 Jan 2024 Following high demand, brands like Marks & Spencer, H&M, Tasva, and GAP are opening outlets in untapped markets. Global and domestic brands are setting up shops in Tier II cities like Patna, Ranchi, Mysore, Mangalore, Indore, and Coimbatore. Factors driving this momentum are the eCommerce expansion and high market demand from tech-savvy consumers who can afford to spend on discretionary purchases that are basically wants rather than needs. Realtors like Phoenix Mall, Bhumika Group, Nexus Malls, and Lulu Group are opening malls and street outlets to offer space to these brands. Earlier, the crowd in tier II cities had to come to metro cities for shopping. During Covid 19, when the labour returned to their hometowns, brands started eyeing an entry there. The median age of shoppers is around 30 years. Those working in Tier II and III cities have a better spending threshold due to lower living costs. Among the consumers, 51% of the Gen Z population and 47% of the millennials shop online. Previous Next

< Back Indian Tech ruling the roost: Infosys strikes 3-yr deal with Nadal Ishita Nigam 25 Aug 2023 Rafael to become Infosys' brand ambassador. On another note, all public services to become available on India's Digital Public Infrastructure in two years. India is making grand strides in tech on both the moon and earth. On one hand, Infosys has signed a three-year deal with Rafael Nadal to build an AI-enabled match analysis tool. Nadal's coaching team will use it in real time to track and gain insights from his live matches and past data from previous games. Together, Infosys, Tech Mahindra , Tata Consultancy Services , HCL Technologies Ltd and Wipro drive up to $1 billion from global sports partnerships. This raises India's contribution to 5% in the international sports tech industry, currently worth $21 billion. Moreover, the Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, announced that all public services will go digital using India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in the next two years. DPIs are open source platforms, like Aadhaar and UPI, that facilitate digital service delivery. France, Singapore, UAE, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka have bought India's UPI technology. Previous Next

< Back BMW outruns Tesla in European sales of EVs 23 Aug 2024 BMW sold 308 more EVs than Tesla in July for the first time. A lack of government incentives and buyers’ concerns about unpredictable resale value prompted a 6% decline in annual sales of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in Europe. As a result, sales of Tesla EVs fell by an average of over 16% in July. This favoured BMW, which sold 308 more EVs than Tesla for the first time. A strong brand reputation, a more comprehensive variety of EVs at a diverse price range, and an extensive dealer network helped BMW create a loyal following. Comparatively, Tesla always focused on the high-end market with its Model S, Model 3, and Model X. This enabled the German carmaker to attract the consumer segment looking for more affordable cars for whom Tesla was out of budget. BMW is also investing heavily in its battery and charging technology. It has partnered with various companies to expand its charging network across Europe to serve a diverse customer base. Previous Next