TMS Ep334: Indian tech sector, Indian workers in Gulf, markets, Covid BF.7

The year gone by has proven to be an inflection point for Digital India. From Big Tech to the government, India’s digitisation drive has received, or is poised to receive, a fillip in both innovation and regulation. 5G rolled out a red carpet of promises. And despite crypto’s epic fail, Web 3.0 has emerged as THE watchword in tech innovation, with both start-ups and big techs flocking to the metaverse. How big was the year 2022 then, for tech in India? And what new frontiers can 2023 conquer? 

The Fifa World Cup in Qatar is over, and Messi's Argentina team has taken home the trophy, but the questions about the fate of migrant workers still linger. The World Cup and the attendant media coverage focused on the deplorable conditions migrant workers find themselves in, especially in countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council or GCC. It also begs the question: Why are more and more Indians flocking to GCC countries despite reports of human rights violations? 

To protect Indian workers, the Emigration Act of 1983 was passed and it required Indians travelling to some countries for work to get an emigration clearance. Passports which carried the Emigration Check Not Required or ECNR stamp weren't required to seek such a clearance. Since, 2007, only those passport holders that carry an Emigration Check Required need to get such a clearance. All other passports are deemed to be ECNR passports.

From the worries of migrant workers let us move to the worries to market watchers. It has been a choppy fortnight for the markets amid a resurgence of Covid-related fears. How do technical chartists see markets play out in 2023? Which sectors and stocks hold promise in the year ahead? Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa caught up with Gaurav Ratnaparkhi, head of technical research at Sharekhan by BNP Paribas, on the key levels he is tracking for the frontline indices and the stocks that are a ‘must-have’ in your portfolio.

Last week, we had news from China about the new SARS- CoV-2 variant BF. 7 and how quickly it is spreading in the region. There are few cases reported in India of the new variant leading to a slight surge in the cases of Covid-19. While, experts say there are no serious concerns for India, this podcast decodes the new Covid-19 variant BF.7 and more.