Newsletter
India's GDP grows, AI infra expansion, and finally Netflix says bye.
šļø Morning, folks! āļø
Global markets are walking into Monday with a geopolitical hangover. Over the weekend, tensions in the Middle East exploded after a joint US-Israel strike on Iran, followed by retaliatory moves across the region.
š”Spotlight: What happened & what to expect š„
Iranās Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a coordinated US-Israel aerial strike targeting Iranian military and government sites.
Nearly 20% of the worldās oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz. And thatās now the marketās biggest worry.
Any disruption in the Strait could choke global oil supply, spike crude prices, and push freight and logistics costs higher.
For India, higher crude means a weaker Rupee, higher fuel costs, and pressure on government finances.
What about commodities: whenever there is war talk, money runs to safe havens. So with tensions rising, gold and silver are expected to open higher.
What to expect on Dalal Street today: volatility. Oil-sensitive sectors like paints, aviation, OMCs, and logistics may feel pressure if crude spikes. IT and pharma could act as defensive plays. Gold-linked stocks may see buying interest.
Letās hit it!
1 Big thing: Indiaās economy grows 7.8% āļø
Indiaās economy grew 7.8% in the October to December quarter, according to fresh data from the Ministry of Statistics.
Breaking it down: the new GDP series also projects FY26 growth at 7.6%, up from 7.1% last year.
Before we get into the details, hereās why you should care. Because faster growth usually means more jobs, better business activity and stronger incomes.
When companies expand, they hire more. When the government collects more taxes, it can spend more on roads, railways and public services. That often translates into better opportunities and steadier wages.
Now, back to the numbers.
The revised data shows FY26 growth is riding on strong momentum, with the economy expanding 8.4% in Q2 and 7.8% in Q3.
The National Statistics Office, which has updated the base year to 2022-23, says industrial activity and strong consumer spending are powering this run.
Manufacturing has been the star performer, clocking double digit growth in FY24 and again in FY26. Both industry and services grew over 9% in FY26, signalling broad based strength.
Within services, trade, hotels, transport and communication jumped 10.1%.
2. Netwebās next big AI bet š
Netweb Technologies, which makes high-performance computing systems, has joined hands with Vertiv, a global digital infrastructure company.
The goal is to design and test Netwebās GPU-based AI servers along with Vertivās cooling and power systems. This will make sure everything works smoothly together inside AI data centres.
The why: AI servers generate a lot of heat. So this partnership focuses heavily on advanced cooling systems like Direct-to-Chip liquid cooling, along with reliable power backup systems and energy management tools.
The bigger picture: AI usage is rising rapidly across industries. Companies are training larger and more complex AI models, which require enormous computing power to function efficiently.
But what often goes unnoticed is the infrastructure behind it.
To keep these systems stable and efficient, advanced cooling technologies, reliable power backup, and integrated rack-level design are essential.
3. Netflix backs out of Warner Bros. deal š„
In a sharp twist in this unfolding Hollywood deal battle, Netflix walked away from its deal with Warner Bros. Discovery. The companyās stock surged following the announcement.
Hereās the breakdown: earlier this week, Paramount raised its offer to buy Warner Bros. Discovery to $31 per share in cash, up from $30 earlier. This is one of several revised bids since Netflix first announced its own offer at $27.75 per share.
Netflix then gave WBD a seven-day window to reopen talks with Paramount, which ultimately led to this increased offer. Paramountās bid is for the entire company, including major TV networks like CNN, TBS and TNT.
The response: co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters said the deal made strategic sense, but matching the higher price no longer made financial sense.
Looking ahead: now, the path looks clear for Paramount. It has promised to pay a $7 billion fee if regulators block the deal and will also cover the $2.8 billion fee WBD would have owed Netflix, making its offer stronger and more secure.
4. Whatās brewing on Venture Street? š„µ
Workspace startup Table Space is getting ready to hit Dalal Street with an IPO that could raise up to ā¹1,000 crore in fresh shares, along with a stake sale by existing investors.
The big picture: Indiaās office scene is changing fast. Global Capability Centres, basically offshore hubs set up by global giants, are driving the demand.
There are already around 1,800 of them in India, and the sector could be worth $9 billion by 2030.
With Indiaās IT-ITES industry raking in over $280 billion a year, companies are snapping up 75 to 80 million square feet of office space annually. And with 70% of Fortune 500 firms planning to grow their India presence, the office rush is far from over.
More on fundraises, šø
Defence tech startup Constelli raised $20 million in a fresh funding round led by General Catalyst and other investors.
Constelli builds smart signal processing tools that help design and test critical aerospace and defence systems, making them sharper, faster and more reliable.
Now, with the new funds in hand, the company is doubling down on research and development.
The focus is on next generation electronic warfare and advanced communication payloads that can be deployed across drones, ground systems, naval ships and even satellites.
5. Indiaās grid gets a growth charge ā”
India is rapidly expanding its electricity network, and the numbers show serious momentum.
Between April-November FY26, generating capacity addition stood at 15,007.9 MW, while transformation capacity addition came in at 38,805 MVA. On the transmission side, the country added 5,117 ckm of new lines, strengthening the backbone that carries power across states.
For comparison, in FY25 (AprāNov), generation addition was much higher at 40,938.6 MW, while transformation capacity addition hit 60,260 MVA and transmission line expansion was 3,641 ckm.
The mix shows that while generation saw a spike last year, the current focus is clearly on expanding and upgrading the grid network.
6. Stock that kept us interested š
1. Adani awards ā¹214 crore to Kirloskar Brothers š°
Kirloskar Brothers landed a ā¹214 crore order from Adani Power and its group companies, giving a fresh boost to its order book.
Kirloskar Brothers manufactures industrial pumps and fluid management systems for power, water, oil, gas and infrastructure sectors globally.
The deets: the deal covers the supply and installation of large circulating water pumps for thermal power plants.
The equipment will be rolled out across power projects in Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh and Bihar, playing a key role in keeping these plants running smoothly.
Whatās next: India is weighing incentives to make coal based power plants more flexible, creating space for more solar and wind energy without destabilising the grid.
What else are we snackinā šæ
š¤ AI standoff: Trump ordered the US government to immediately stop using Anthropicās tech after the startup refused military access.
šµ Nepal entry: Greaves Electric Mobility has entered Nepal with the launch of its Ampere Nexus e-scooter, targeting high-altitude and rugged terrain markets.
š¤ FTA talks: India and Israel have concluded the first round of FTA negotiations in New Delhi, with the next round scheduled for May 2026.
Thatās a wrap! Markets will remain shut on Tuesday for Holi so weāll be back like clockwork on Wednesday.
A very happy Holi to you and your family šØ
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