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What August Holds: Ideas, Innovation & India
Hello August!
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Good morning! Welcome to August — a new month, a new set of questions, and a whole new playlist to help make sense of it all.
If July was about sharp turns and hard truths — from luxury splurges to stock market stress — August is shaping up to be all about direction: Where is growth really happening? What’s driving new consumer behaviour? And how are businesses and policymakers adapting in real time?
As always, The Core Report, The Signal Daily, The Media Room, and How India’s Economy Works bring you fresh voices and grounded insights. This is your August listening list — forward-looking, clear-headed, and plugged into what matters.
And with August, we’re also launching a brand-new series: FutureProof — where big ideas meet the real world. From AI and deep tech to sustainability and digital transformation, this series dives into the innovations quietly reshaping how we live, work, and shop. Join Govindraj Ethiraj as he sits down with the minds building what’s next—before it hits the mainstream.
FUTUREPROOF WITH GOVINDRAJ ETHIRAJ
How Walmart Is Using AI to Redefine Retail
The Walmart That Thinks Like an AI Lab
From managing a catalogue of 5 billion products to processing thousands of orders every minute, Walmart’s tech game is no joke. But what’s powering this retail giant under the hood? AI—lots of it.
In this episode of FutureProof, Govindraj Ethiraj speaks with Akhil Vishwanathan, VP Technology, International tech at Walmart Global Tech India, about how the company is embracing generative and agentic AI to reinvent everything—from product listings and supply chains to how you search for toothpaste online.
Here’s what’s in store for you:
🛒 How AI is rewriting product descriptions across millions of SKUs
🧠 The shift from predictive to agentic AI—and what that actually looks like in practice
🤖 Meet Sparky, Walmart’s shopping assistant built with generative AI
🌍 Why Bangalore and Chennai are now global hubs for Walmart’s AI-powered backend systems
If you’ve ever wondered what a cockpit view of the world’s largest retailer looks like in the age of AI, this episode is a must-listen.
Click below to watch the full podcast
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THE SIGNAL DAILY
The Do’s and Dont’s of Weight-loss Drugs
Next year, patents for semaglutide — the key compound in weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy — will expire in India. With that, Indian pharmaceutical companies are already gearing up to launch their own generic versions.
Currently, these drugs can cost anywhere between ₹17,000 and ₹26,000 per month. But once generics hit the market, prices could drop by as much as 90%, making semaglutide far more accessible.
In today’s episode of The Signal Daily, we explore how these drugs work, who they’re meant for, and why they might not be the right choice for everyone.
THE MEDIA ROOM
Vikram Mehra on the Business of Music in the Age of Algorithms
In this edition of The Media Room, media journalist and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar sits down with Vikram Mehra, Managing Director of Saregama, one of India’s most iconic and long-standing music labels, to explore how the music business is adapting in the digital age. From the nostalgic success of the Carvaan to bold bets on generative AI with IIT Bombay, Mehra shares how Saregama is blending legacy with innovation to stay both relevant and profitable. The conversation dives into the changing economics of music—shifting from free to paid models, the rise of short-form video, and the critical role of discoverability in an algorithm-driven landscape. They also explore Gen Z’s demand for authenticity, how AI might transform talent scouting and music creation, and why India’s media industry needs to embrace more risk, randomness, and reinvention.
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HOW INDIA’S ECONOMY WORK
What India Gained—and Gave Up—in the UK Free Trade Deal
In this episode, author and journalist Puja Mehra speaks to trade policy expert Prof. Abhijit Das about the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that was signed on 24th July 2025 after years of negotiation. Hailed as a major breakthrough, the agreement promises tariff-free access for Indian exports like textiles, leather, and marine products, along with visa commitments for service professionals. But what lies beneath the surface?
Prof. Das explains why, despite the initial excitement, the fine print raises concerns—ranging from stringent UK standards in agriculture and environment to new subsidy notification obligations and a surprising shift in India’s position on compulsory licensing for medicines. He unpacks what India has agreed to in areas like Intellectual Property Rights, labour, and gender, and whether these concessions could come at the cost of future policy flexibility.
Tune in for insights and analysis of what this FTA really means for India’s exporters, its negotiating strategy, and its ability to shape trade policy in the years ahead.
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👥 THE TEAM
✍️ Zinal Dedhia, Salman SH, Kudrat Wadhwa | ✂️ Rohini Chatterji | 🎧 Joshua Thomas