Airtel tariff, Q&A with Iravati Damle, market, Consumer Confidence Indices

Airtel took a bold step of raising tariffs by 25% starting this Friday, notwithstanding risk attached to it. The telecom major’s decision will most likely prompt its rivals to hike their prices too, especially the struggling Vodafone Idea. Does this mean brighter days ahead for the telecom sector, which is saddled with high debt levels and not enough cash flows? 

Following the recent cabinet nod on tariff hikes and relief measures, the telecom sector is likely on a recovery path again. But how do you win government confidence? No one knows it better than Zoom India. Iravati Damle, director for government affairs, Zoom India, shares how she overcame government’s concerns about the videoconferencing platform to eventually emerge as the application of choice among students, professionals as well as the government.  

Video conferencing platform Zoom may be gaining steam in India and has an inspiring tale to tell, but the market is losing steam. The long-due correction seems to be playing out on Dalal Street as key indices have fallen over six per cent from record high levels. While the Sensex has plunged 3,772 points from its recent peak, the Nifty is down nearly 1,200 points.

Next, imagine that after a recent promotion, you are planning to buy a new mobile device. And you discuss your plans with a friend. You may think of this as an everyday conversation, but would you believe that they can help economists and analysts gauge the health of the country’s economy? One such indicator, that is the result of a large-scale survey on people’s financial health and their plans, is the Consumer Confidence Survey. Let us find out more about these in this report.