Work. Tech. Storytelling. And the Shape of India’s New Economy

Good Morning,

From the gig workers powering India’s retail boom to the blockchain innovators rebuilding trust in business — from China’s $8 billion microdrama craze to the deeper truths behind India’s economic engine — this week, we explore how technology, talent, and transformation are rewriting the rules of growth.

In Eye on Retail, Govindraj Ethiraj decodes how India’s gig economy is booming even as new labour laws challenge old ideas about work and wages.

Over in The Media Room, Vanita Kohli-Khandekar and Vivek Couto unpack how two-minute microdramas are transforming the global media business — and what India’s streamers can learn.

And in How India’s Economy Works we dive into where growth meets inequality, and where the next big economic story is waiting to be told.

Jobs. Data. Drama. Disruption.
The new India is being built — one app, one byte, and one bold idea at a time.

EYE ON RETAIL

India’s Gig Revolution: Jobs Are Rising, So Are the Rules

India’s gig economy is changing how the country works and earns. From delivery riders to digital platforms, millions are finding new livelihoods — but also facing fresh challenges around wages, benefits, and job security.

In this edition of Eye on Retail, Govindraj Ethiraj speaks to two leading experts — Dr. Arpita Mukherjee, Professor at ICRIER, and A. Balasubramanian, Senior Vice President at TeamLease Services — to decode the rapid rise of gig work and the reforms reshaping it.

🔹 How e-commerce and quick commerce are transforming employment
🔹 What India’s new labour codes and social reforms mean for gig workers
🔹 Why fair wages and digital inclusion matter more than ever

The gig economy promises flexibility — but can it also deliver fairness?
Find out in this conversation that goes beyond headlines to uncover the real story behind India’s gig boom.

This series is supported by Flipkart.

THE MEDIA ROOM

The Next Big Thing in Streaming? Two-Minute Dramas

Two-minute serials — or microdramas — are reshaping global entertainment. What began as snackable stories on Chinese apps has exploded into an $8 billion industry, with over 830 million viewers tuning in daily.

In this episode of The Media Room, Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks with Vivek Couto, Executive Director at Media Partners Asia, to unpack how China built the world’s largest microdrama market — powered by tech, payments, and AI-driven storytelling.

🔹 Why women in smaller cities are driving the microdrama surge
🔹 How AI is transforming content creation and distribution
🔹 What India’s streaming giants — from JioCinema to Amazon — can learn
🔹 The future of short-form storytelling in local languages and ad-led models

Microdramas are not just changing how we watch — they’re rewriting how media is made, monetized, and consumed.

🎧 Tune in to explore the next wave of storytelling — where AI meets attention.

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BUILD ON BLOCKCHAIN

How to Track Your Entire Supply Chain with Blockchain

What can a blockchain really do?

It can redefine how businesses operate, connect, and scale.

Meet Keerthana Zion, Founder of Äkta Solutions — a startup using blockchain to help companies cut waste, track inventory in real time, and uncover hidden inefficiencies.

Now incubated at T-Hub, Äkta is expanding its footprint across retail, pharma, FMCG, and beyond — proving how transparency and trust can power the next leap in business efficiency.

The 2025 Algorand India Summit is coming to Bengaluru on December 6-7. Register today to discover how blockchain technology is helping transform access to finance.

Register today at https://algorand.co/india-summit-2025.

HOW INDIA’S ECONOMY WORKS

The $161 Billion China Opportunity India Can’t Afford to Miss

India’s trade ties with China are more complex — and more full of potential — than most realise. Despite tighter policies and geopolitical tensions, India’s imports from China continue to rise. But hidden in that imbalance lies a $161 billion export opportunity waiting to be tapped.

In this episode, journalist and author Puja Mehra speaks with economist Dr. Nisha Taneja, Professor at ICRIER and author of a major study on India–China trade. Together, they explore how India can recalibrate its economic relationship with China — and turn dependence into opportunity.

🔹 Why efforts to restrict imports haven’t reduced India’s reliance on China
🔹 Where India’s biggest export potential lies — from pharma to machinery, shrimp, gems, and tourism
🔹 How policy, manufacturing, and business partnerships can shift the balance
🔹 Why India’s human capital could become its strongest leverage

Dr. Taneja calls for a clear institutional framework to separate politics from trade and deepen business-to-business dialogue — a pragmatic roadmap for growth amid rivalry.

Tune in for a data-driven conversation on how India can seize an opportunity with China that it has too long overlooked.

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