Namaste! Aaj ka news roundup, Newswala style!

MARKETS

Markets: With a lack of major domestic triggers this week, all eyes are on global cues. Key factors to watch include US jobs data, China’s Two Sessions, and Fed Chair Powell’s speech—setting the stage for a bearish market.

TOP STORIES

Cheaper Gas & Lesser Chaos! ⛽️

What Happened?

India is gearing up to launch the world’s longest LPG pipeline by June, and it’s about to shake up the way we get our cooking gas! 

The $1.3 billion project stretches 2,800 kilometers from Kandla to Gorakhpur, carrying a whopping 8.3 million tons of LPG every year. 

Built by Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum, this pipeline is basically a conveyor belt for LPG, promising to cut transport costs and reduce deadly road accidents.

Why It Matters?

Right now, a massive chunk (70%) of India’s LPG is transported by trucks—slow, costly, and prone to turning highways into action movie scenes. 

Remember the Jaipur tragedy last December? 20 people lost their lives after an LPG truck accident. Not to mention the recent Coimbatore mishap, which brought the city to a standstill.

With India’s LPG demand soaring 80% in the last decade (hitting 29.6 million tons last year), depending on trucks is no longer sustainable.

Pipelines are safer, faster, and way more cost-effective.  

Zoom Out

Of course, the project wasn’t all smooth sailing—thanks to COVID-19, supply chain mess-ups, and the Russia- Ukraine war, it faced multiple delays since 2019. 

But now, it’s finally happening! India already has 5,000 km of LPG pipelines, and this addition cements its commitment to safer, cheaper, and more efficient fuel transport.

PAISON KA KHEL

SaaS Needs More Cash! 💰

SaaS player Excelsoft Technologies is gearing up for a ₹700 crore IPO, filing its DRHP with SEBI.

The offering includes ₹210 crore in fresh equity and a ₹490 crore sell-off by Pedanta Technologies and Dhananjaya Sudhanva. 

The funds will go toward upgrading its Mysore facility, buying land, and revamping IT infrastructure.

The company, serving 71 clients across 17 countries, raked in ₹198.3 crore in FY24 with a ₹12.75 crore profit. 

Royal Enfield Tells a Bold Story 🔥

Royal Enfield is cruising ahead, reporting a 19% year-on-year sales jump in February, selling 90,670 units.

Domestic sales climbed up to 80,799 units (up from 67,922 last year), while exports zoomed 23% higher to 9,871 units. 

CEO B Govindarajan credited the boost to a solid product lineup—because let’s be honest, who can resist a Royal Enfield? 

TOP STORIES

India’s Homegrown Card Is Taking Over 💳

What Happened?

RuPay, India’s homegrown card network, is gaining serious ground. According to Dilip Asbe, Managing Director of NPCI, RuPay now accounts for 16% of all credit card spending in India. 

Even more interesting? Nearly half of these transactions are happening via UPI-linked credit cards—a feature no other network currently offers.

The Numbers Tell The Story

750 million transactions worth ₹63,825 crore were processed via RuPay credit cards on UPI in this financial year (until October 2024).

That’s almost double the ₹33,439 crore processed during the same period last year. 

More than 30 banks are now issuing RuPay credit cards, boosting its adoption.

For years, the Indian credit card market has been a Visa-Mastercard duopoly, but RuPay is proving to be a formidable challenger. 

The turning point?

In June 2022, the RBI allowed UPI integration with RuPay credit cards, making it the only network with this advantage. This move supercharged RuPay’s growth, riding on India’s booming UPI ecosystem.

While Visa and Mastercard still dominate, RuPay is steadily chipping away at their market share.  

Plus, efforts to expand UPI globally are in full swing, with delegates from 70 countries visiting NPCI to learn from India’s fintech revolution.

GLOBAL NAZARA

Skype is Signing Off 👋

Microsoft is finally cutting the cord on the OG video-calling app this May.

Once a household name, Skype was the FaceTime before FaceTime, the Zoom before Zoom—until it got lost in the social media shuffle.

Bought for a whopping $8.5 billion in 2011, Skype struggled against WhatsApp and Messenger. 

With Microsoft Teams now the star, Skype users must migrate or say their final “Hello… can you hear me?” moments.

A Trade Love Story in the Making ❤️

India and the European Union (EU) are finally ready to seal the deal on a long-awaited Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of 2025.

After nine rounds of negotiations since 2022, the 10th round kicks off on March 10 in Brussels.

With India-EU goods trade hitting $137.41 billion in 2023-24 and services adding another $51.45 billion, this FTA could be a game-changer.

But it’s not just about trade—both sides are eyeing big moves in AI, semiconductors, and even space.

TOP STORIES

Something Big Rolling Out on Indian Tracks 🛤

What Happened

Indian Railways is gearing up to introduce its most powerful locomotive—a 9,000 HP beast—within the next 30-40 days.

The new engine, capable of pulling 4,500 to 5,000 tonnes at speeds of up to 100 km/h, is mostly Made in India—89% indigenous components, to be precise.

Why It Matters

Currently, India’s freight trains crawl at an average speed of 25 km/h.

With high-power locomotives like this, that number is set to rise, reducing congestion and making goods transport faster and more efficient.

A similar leap happened in 2020 when India built 12,000 HP electric locomotives in Bihar. However, those were twin-engine models, while this Dahod creation is a single-engine powerhouse. 

To top it off, the new locomotives will integrate with Kavach, India’s cutting-edge train tracking system, making operations safer and smarter.

What’s Next

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently visited the Dahod Workshop in Gujarat, where this state-of-the-art locomotive is being built.

He didn’t just admire the progress—he threw down a challenge: 100% Indian-made locomotives. With an eye on global markets, he also hinted at export potential.

MIRCH MASALA

❓ Are EVs really affordable for India’s middle class?

🛒 Ex-grocery worker reveals 5 Shopping Mistakes you should avoid

🌏 This woman explored 60+ countries but swears off this one city

📈 Smart ways to invest your money in this market crash

🌌 Look: NASA astronaut captures the Milky Way like you’ve never seen before