TMS Ep510: Gati Shakti, foreign investment, SpiceJet's stock, Aditya L-1

Since the BJP-led government came to power nine years ago, its repeated message to ministries and bureaucrats has been to coordinate better and work as one unit. To ensure this, it launched the Gati Shakti National Master Plan in October, 2021. With Gati Shakti close to completing two years, find out how this ambitious scheme is transforming India’s infrastructure landscape. This report will also take you through the challenges and the potential risks of data leaks and cybersecurity issues along the way
 
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently said that building infrastructure and attracting investments will be key focus areas for India over the next 25 years to make it a developed country. But not all goes as planned. Gross foreign direct investment flows into India fell 16% in the financial year 2023 for the first time in a decade. And in the first quarter of the ongoing financial year, FDI declined 34%. So is declining foreign investments a cause for worry?
 
Foreign investors, meanwhile, have turned net sellers and pulled out over Rs 2,000 cr from the Indian equities in the first week of August, after five months of sustained buying. The key reason was Fitch downgrading the credit rating for the US. Moving on, low-cost airline SpiceJet has been mired in legal battles between former promoter Kalanathi Maran and aircraft lessors due to non-payment of dues. The airline also has a negative net worth of Rs 3,026 cr. Yet, its stock has surged 20% in 3 months as it was back in the black in the June quarter, with a net profit of Rs 205 cr. So, should investors buy into the momentum? Or is it safe to stay on the sidelines? 
 
While SpiceJet battles turbulence, India’s space programme is off to a flying start. After a successful landing on the Moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation is set to send a spacecraft to study the Sun. Aditya-L1 will be launched on the 2nd of September from Sriharikota. Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.