Namaste! Aaj ka news roundup, Newswala style!

MARKETS

Markets: As FIIs continue to sell, market volatility is rising, with investors booking profits in leading stocks. Weakness in banking, auto, IT, and FMCG stocks is dragging down key benchmark indices despite some gains.

TOP STORIES

Campa Boots Out Thums Up in IPL Battle 🥤

What Happened?

Reliance Consumer Products’ Campa just grabbed one of IPL 2025’s biggest sponsorship slots—the co-presenting rights—by spending ₹200 crore. 

This move pushes out last year’s titleholder, Coca-Cola’s Thums Up, setting up a classic cola clash on the cricket field.

With the early onset of summer fueling the thirst for cold drinks (and ad space), Campa is making sure its name is heard nationwide.

Why It Matters?

The IPL isn’t just a cricket league but a goldmine for advertisers.

Experts predict the total ad revenue from television and OTT platforms for IPL 2025 will grow by 8-10%, hitting a massive ₹4,500 crore. 

For soft drink brands, the summer months (March to July) contribute over 50% of their yearly sales, making IPL the perfect battlefield for brand dominance.

Campa’s national expansion is a big deal.

Until last year, it was only available in select markets. Now, with a prime IPL spot, it’s signalling its ambition to challenge Coke and Pepsi head-on.  

Conclusion

The IPL is no stranger to billion-dollar deals. Last year, Tata Motors bagged a ₹2,500 crore title sponsorship, and Jio attracted 250 advertisers.

With media rights for IPL 2023-27 valued at ₹48,390 crore, the league is now the world’s second most valuable sports event.

PAISON KA KHEL

ONGC’s 100-Fold Surge in Renewable Energy 💡

India’s biggest oil explorer, ONGC, is trading black gold for green energy, planning a 100-fold increase in investment.

From ₹1,000 crore this year to a whopping ₹1 lakh crore ($11.5 billion) by 2030, the company aims to build a 10 GW renewables portfolio.

The Plan includes 193 MW of solar and wind power, 25 biogas plants, hydro projects, and 1 million tons of green ammonia, including 180,000 tons of green hydrogen.

Volvo Puts the Pedal to the Metal in Karnataka! 🚛

Swedish auto giant Volvo is revving up its operations in Karnataka with a ₹1,400 crore investment to expand its Hoskote facility.

This upgrade is set to shift production into high gear, increasing capacity from 3,000 to 20,000 trucks and buses annually. 

Plus, this move will create 2,000 jobs and strengthen Karnataka’s position in global manufacturing.

TOP STORIES

ITC Wants a Bigger Bite of India’s Food Market 🥫

What Happened

ITC Ltd is in early talks to acquire MTR Foods and Eastern Condiments from Norway’s Orkla ASA for around $1.4 billion. 

• These brands dominate the ready-to-cook and spices market in South India, contributing over ₹2,400 crore in revenue in FY24. 

Orkla had initially planned an IPO for its Indian businesses but is now considering a majority stake sale instead.

If ITC seals the deal, it will strengthen its foothold in South India, adding to its recent Prasuma acquisition.

Why It Matters

For ITC, this is a spicy move. The Indian spices market, valued at ₹2,00,643.7 crore in 2024, is projected to grow at 10.56% CAGR, reaching ₹5,13,253.9 crore by 2033.

• With MTR and Eastern controlling 75% of their sales in South India, ITC could become a major force in the region’s food segment. 

However, competition is heating up, with brands like Everest, MDH, and Dabur (which bought a 51% stake in Badshah Masala) fighting for market share. Orkla, meanwhile, is weighing whether a private deal would fetch a better valuation than an IPO.

Zoom out

While nothing is final yet, if the deal goes through, ITC could significantly expand its ‘edible empire’. But with increasing competition and Orkla’s IPO option still on the table, ITC may need more than just the right masala mix to seal the deal.

GLOBAL NAZARA

Sri Lanka’s $1 Billion Windy Affair Ends ⚡

After two years, 14 rounds of discussions, and $5 million spent, Adani Green Energy has decided to “respectfully withdraw” from its $1 billion wind energy project in Sri Lanka.

The reasons? A Supreme Court case, environmental clearance delays, and, perhaps, too much hot air.

The 484 MW project, meant to power Sri Lanka’s south, had most approvals, but legal and bureaucratic roadblocks made Adani pack up. 

Free Entry for Foreign Oil—With a Catch! 🛢️

India’s Income Tax Bill 2025 has declared foreign companies selling crude oil to Indian buyers tax-free! 

Well, as long as they don’t engage in other business activities here. The policy aims to boost trade ties, attract global suppliers, and secure India’s energy reserves. 

Companies storing crude in India for later sales also qualify for tax exemptions—strictly under government-approved deals.

But there’s a twist: step out of line, and the taxman comes knocking! 

TOP STORIES

TATA.ev to Double EV Chargers Across India 🚗

What happened?

Good news for EV owners (and future ones)! TATA.ev has launched Open Collaboration 2.0 to double India’s EV charging points to over 400,000 in two years. 

They’ve teamed up with Tata Power, ChargeZone, Statiq, and Zeon to set up 30,000 new public chargers and introduce superfast mega chargers across key cities and highways.

Why it matters

Let’s face it, one of the biggest fears of EV owners is running out of charge with nowhere to plug in. TATA.ev wants to fix that.

Their mega chargers promise faster, more reliable charging, and they’re also working on a unified payment system—no more juggling multiple apps just to pay for a charge. 

With a smoother experience and more accessible charging points, more people might finally take the leap into EV ownership.

What’s up 

TATA.ev has already installed 150,000 home chargers, 2,500 community chargers, and 750 chargers at dealerships.

Now, with Open Collaboration 2.0, they’re basically saying, “Relax, we got this.” If they pull this off, by 2027, India could be one of the easiest places to own an EV. 

MIRCH MASALA

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That’s a wrap for this week.

Have an amazing weekend, we’ll see you again on Monday! 😄