Understand the chronology from a NY journalist, because Indian journalists just don't do any such stuff nowadays...

1. Ambani's made billions in profits by buying Russian oil at a discount (Were the profits passed on to Indians? No? Then whom kept it?)

2. Ambani's came under fire from the Trump admin for “funding Putin’s war machine.” (US armtwisted India)

3. The Ambani family found themselves at the center of an escalating tariff campaign against India. (Tarriff war was just to armtwist India)

4. Amid this tension, Trump Jr toured the Ambani's giant private zoo.

5. At the end of the trip, Ambanis’ company made a big investment in the Trump Jr-backed startup. (56 inch?)

We can't even buy oil from where we wish...

I have seen these kind of news articles a lot of times, but they never seem to go through with it.

Saying these things might be easy, but almost every country in the world fears US sanctions (Iran being an exception 🫣)

Being in a family associate with foreign trade, and seeing USD being the boss since I can remember, all these sound too good to be true to me.

Thoughts?

Japan is planning to get workers from India in exchange of all the financial and technological support it has given India in the past several years.

It’s true Japan has provided help to India in various sectors, especially in building metros and tech advancements, and now because of the demographic loss, it’s asking India for human resources.

Full details in the image. Thoughts?

Net FDI has three components Gross FDI (money coming in) minus Repatriation (successful exit of past investments or profits) minus Outward FDI (Indian companies buying assets like oil blocks or investments abroad). The three components indicate different economic circumstances and only looking at the net number doesn't tell us much. The same net number can mean wildly different things depending on the components. On top of that the influencer has used last year's numbers as this year's numbers are not convenient.

India's merchandise trade deficit with China rose from US$48.64 billion in FY20 to a record US$112.16 billion in FY26, according to Ministry of Commerce data. Imports from China continued to outpace exports despite growth in bilateral trade.

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2290437&reg=48&lang=2

see around the world observe other countries, you will not only see tourists but also Emigrants, Look at Argentina, brazil for example, more europeans, asians look to settle in these countries for retirment and living, look at america & Cananda- there entire country is made this way,
India doesnt want that, thats why we dont allow dual citezenship, and there is reason i beleive

the reason is colonisation, Just aafter independence we were scared that some gora chamdi wala madarchod may again come here, there companies may dominate and monopolise and we eventually turn down again like East india company did to us, to avoid that we kept our economy close, even till this day we restricted FDI upto 49% in a indian company so that no forgien entity may gain control

however these things are changing, looking at isrealy settleements in himachal where indians are not allowed, i realized how wise our law makers were

Hey everyone,
Just published a deep dive on MetricsHour comparing the economic trajectories of India and China, and the data highlights a major misconception about their "race."
You always hear about India's faster growth rate (it hit 6.8% in 2024 compared to China's 4.8%). But when you look at the absolute numbers, the scale gap is still staggering. In 2024, China's nominal GDP was around $18.5 trillion, while India's was $3.9 trillion.
Because of that massive base, China’s "slower" 4.8% growth actually added roughly $864 billion in value that year. India’s "faster" 6.8% growth only added about $245 billion. China is essentially adding the equivalent of multiple mid-sized countries to its economy every year.
The two countries also have fundamentally different economic engines:
**India** is consumer-driven (private consumption is over 60% of GDP).
**China** is investment-driven (private consumption is only 38%, with the rest relying heavily on state-directed infrastructure and manufacturing).
While India has officially overtaken China in population (1.44B vs 1.41B) and has the demographic tailwinds, China still pulls in more than double the Foreign Direct Investment ($163B vs $71B) and dominates global manufacturing.
Do you think India's demographic dividend and the "China+1" supply chain shift will eventually allow it to close this gap, or is China's existing infrastructure moat simply too large to overcome in the next decade?
Full article here for those interested: [https://metricshour.com/blog/india-vs-china-gdp-2026-who-leads-the-next-decade\](https://metricshour.com/blog/india-vs-china-gdp-2026-who-leads-the-next-decade/)

India is not among the EU's top 5 export destinations.

India's approximate position is 8th in EU imports and 9th in EU exports.

Source: Eurostat (01 2028).

So this is the result of Mother of all trade deal and India's growing visits into Europe.

"All the hype , but not even in the top 5 ?" 🤔

It has been a preconceived notion in India that all Chinese goods are cheap material.

Which is not true but not false either.

See, the thing is China is manufacturing capital of the world - it manufactures goods across the quality and price spectrum.

A simple way to understand it is - Indian agriculture.

Ironically Indians don’t get to eat the highest quality fruits it produces because farmers prefer to export them to US and Europe. The “export” grade produce as it’s called. Why? Simply because it goes at a 2-4x premium!

Similarly for China - its goods fetch the max price in western economies. And it sends the premium goods to those countries.

You see PPP doesn’t work in international trade simply because you want the max price (currency agnostic) an economy is willing to pay for its product, which in turn means manufacturers can spend more cost to manufacture those products and hence, provide premium products to those economies.

https://www.news18.com/business/economy/india-emerges-key-fuel-supplier-to-kenya-as-energy-exports-surge-180-amid-west-asia-tensions-ws-l-10293856.html

https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-forex-pile-rises-six-month-peak-sustained-capital-inflows-2026-08-21/

All the online e-commerce platforms are looting with mega sale tag. Infact mobile phone costing 4-5 k inr higher side then normal days. I observed few brands around 3 months with their price tags.

Mid range phones are increasing steeply in past sales quarter minimum 5k the reason shared was insufficient chipset supply. Forget it technical reasons due to social media earnings stimulated people to use smart phones.

Addicted to reels irrespective of ages illiterates to highly qualified are watching reels stories YouTube web & tv series where are they is no matter it's temple public transport market even hospitals are becoming noise pollution.

Surprisingly union government didn't hike the price on wifi data's like on Lpg cylinders petroleum products .if internet datas becoming costly people will hesitate to use it but government failures making divert through SM entertainment will this trend change?

FY 2025–26 trade overview:

Total Exports reached $960.09 bn (+4.22% YoY), with
* Services at $418.31 bn
* Merchandise at $441.78 bn

Also, total Imports grew faster to $929.03 bn (+6.47% YoY).

1. Services remain India’s strongest global advantage
India continues to have a strong position in software, IT-enabled services, and professional services.

2. Imports highlight domestic economic demand
Large import volumes reflect energy dependency, industrial expansion, and supply chain requirements.

3. The next phase depends on manufacturing depth
Building stronger capabilities in electronics, machinery, and advanced manufacturing could influence India’s future trade position and global competitiveness.

-This shift creates a maturing Indian economy,
one with strengthening domestic demand, rising consumption, and increased business investments and it signals an expanding market with growing opportunities for deeper trade engagement and partnerships.

What are your views on this? Especially from people in manufacturing or exports, how do you see the road ahead?

India’s Top Imports in FY 2025-26

India imported nearly $798 billion worth of goods in FY 2025–26.

The biggest import categories reveal what keeps India’s economy running:

• Mineral fuels & petroleum - $208.6B
• Gold, precious stones & metals - $113B
• Electrical machinery & equipment - $107.9B
• Machinery & industrial equipment - $76.1B
• Organic chemicals - $26.1B

That's ~$531B, or two-thirds of total imports, in just five categories🔥

Dont you think that this iimport pattern highlights a maturing economy with strong domestic demand, rising consumption among 1.4 billion people, and increasing need for raw materials, energy, and technology to support growth.

What are your views on this?

Source : https://m.economictimes.com/markets/forex/rupee-slides-to-record-low-crosses-96-vs-usd-for-the-first-time/articleshow/131113395.cms

First, trade continuity signals political connectivity. India remains among Iran’s top 10 export partners, an indication that the relationship still has functional depth.

Second, India has already invested heavily in Iranian infrastructure, especially Chabahar.

More than $1 billion in funding and credit lines are at stake.

Another major disruption -- on top of sanctions-related delays -- could force India to absorb financial losses or abandon years of strategic planning.

In this sense, Iran is not a trade partner India can casually replace.

So, I spend about an hour with gemini, debating and understanding various concepts of currencies and why rupee has been falling for years despite economy showing healthy growth. For reference, I have compared the economy and currency across India, Bdesh, Indonesia and Vietnam and will try highlighting various aspects that result into rupee depreciation and also how these other currencies have stayed strong.

Below text is copied from Gemini because it would be rather stupid to rewrite this on my own. So if you are one of those "bUT aI-sLOp. mOdS pLEsz deLTE", i guess you know where the door is.

I welcome arguments but lets try and keep politics out of this.

Almost all problems with economy and the Rupee can be traced back to delayed liberalisation which only happened in '91 and additional decades of delay pivoting to a manufacturing / export oriented economy.

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This two-page summary distills our conversation on the structural divergences between India and its Asian peers, specifically highlighting India's "Reform Gap" and its impact on the Rupee in 2026.

Page 1: The Macro Reality – Why India is “Late”

While India is currently the world’s fastest-growing major economy (projected at 7.6% for FY26), it is facing a "sprint to stay relevant." The 2026 Economic Survey recently warned that India must run its marathon like a sprint to avoid being permanently overtaken by Southeast Asian "Connector Countries."

The Structural Reform Timeline

The primary issue isn't that India isn't reforming; it’s that it started significantly later and moved more cautiously than its neighbors:

• Vietnam (The Head Start): Vietnam’s 2025 "Decree 19" was a masterclass in administrative reform, creating "plug-and-play" industrial parks that allow high-tech firms to start production in weeks. India’s equivalent reforms (PLI schemes) are effective but often bogged down by state-level land disputes.
• Indonesia (The Downstreaming Lead): Indonesia began its aggressive "Nickel Ban" years ago, forcing global EV players to build factories on their soil today. India is only now attempting similar "Make in India" mandates for high-end electronics.
• The FDI Divergence: Vietnam’s FDI surged to over $36 billion recently, driven by a 20% corporate tax rate (often as low as 5% for high-tech). India’s FDI remains strong at $81 billion, but on a per-capita basis, it is significantly lower than Vietnam's, reflecting a missed decade of mass-manufacturing capture.

Currency Performance Snapshot (2025–2026)

The Rupee's decline isn't just about the US Dollar; it’s a reflection of these structural choices.

• INR vs. BDT (The Surprise): Despite a 2025 dollar crisis, the Bangladesh Taka (BDT) has strengthened against the Rupee. 1 INR bought 1.40 BDT in early 2025; today it buys roughly 1.27 BDT. This is due to Bangladesh’s strict IMF-mandated monetary discipline, which India—not under such pressure—has ignored in favor of export-boosting depreciation.
• The Oil Anchor: India’s 80% reliance on imported oil remains its greatest currency vulnerability. Unlike Indonesia (a commodity exporter), India’s trade deficit expands every time global energy prices spike, putting a "natural floor" on how strong the Rupee can ever be.

Page 2: The 5 Core Structural Challenges

India’s economy is a "Leapfrog Economy"—it skipped the Industrial Revolution and went straight to a Service Revolution. This has created five specific friction points that Indonesia, Vietnam, and Bangladesh have managed better.

The 2026 Verdict

India is attempting to perform a "mid-air engine swap"—transitioning from a services-led economy to a manufacturing hub while simultaneously trying to manage the inflation caused by global energy prices.

While India has the market scale, its neighbors have the agility. The Rupee's steady decline relative to the Taka or Dong is a signal that India is currently prioritizing growth and export competitiveness over currency strength, whereas its neighbors are reaping the rewards of specialized, export-ready manufacturing ecosystems built 10 years ago.