TMSEp370: Air India, lithium reserve, defence stocks, fifth-gen fighter jet

American President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have hailed Air India’s multi-billion-dollar aircraft deal with Boeing and Airbus. The Boeing deal was welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Biden as a “shining example of mutually beneficial cooperation”. So, why has one deal brought all these leaders together and what does it mean for India's civil aviation market? 

India’s airlines aren’t the only ones giving wings to India’s ambition. A major find in the hills of Jammu and Kashmir has also ignited the country’s hope to become a key player in the electric vehicle ecosystem. The government on February 10 announced that it has found a stash of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium in the hill state’s Reasi district. But there are many a slip between the cup and the lip. Will this lithium reserves make India an EV power? 

 Turning our focus back to aviation, Aero India Show, which seeks to display India’s growth in aerospace and defence capabilities, has put the spotlight on related stocks. Analysts say the event would improve the sector’s long-term growth prospects as investments worth Rs 75,000 crore are expected. But, are the stocks worth adding to your portfolio given tepid budgetary allocation? 

Two grey fighter jets, which have come from Utah, United States to take part in the Aero India show are attracting a lot of attention. They are arguably the world’s most advanced fifth-generation fighters. Fighter jets have come a long way since the first world war -- when pilots used to take down enemy planes with rifles and grenades. Now we have supersonic jets equipped with guided missiles and radar-evading stealth technology. But how did the jets evolve? And what is a fifth generation fighter jet? Lets find out in thos episode of the podcast.