INDIA BUSINESS | Mon, 22 Dec 2025, 1:27AM IST
Varun Beverages is set to acquire South Africa's Twizza. The deal, valued at ZAR 2,095 million, will be paid in cash. This acquisition will expand BevCo's reach in the South African market. Twizza operates three manufacturing facilities. The deal is expected to be completed by June 30, 2026. This move strengthens Varun Beverages' global presence as a major PepsiCo franchisee.
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Titan expects watch biz to cross billion-dollar sales mark in next 2 years, focus on premiumisation
INDIA BUSINESS | Mon, 22 Dec 2025, 1:24AM IST
Titan's watch business is set for significant growth, aiming for USD 1 billion in sales within two years. The company is focusing on premium and luxury segments, expanding its Helios and Helios Luxe store network. This expansion is fueled by rising incomes and a growing aspirational consumer base in India.
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Max India Realty unit bets big on senior living care
INDIA BUSINESS | Mon, 22 Dec 2025, 1:03AM IST
Antara Senior Care plans a significant expansion, developing 1.5 million sq ft annually. The company will invest 200 crore to add 8-10 new communities over the next 4-5 years. This move aims to meet the growing demand for senior living facilities in India. Antara is set to expand its presence to several new cities, including Bengaluru and Chennai.
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Value fashion chains double store count in five years as Zudio, Yousta, Style Up lead expansion
INDIA BUSINESS | Mon, 22 Dec 2025, 12:49AM IST
Discount-led retail chains have significantly expanded their store presence, adding approximately 2,500 outlets in the last five years. This growth is driven by major Indian conglomerates targeting price-conscious consumers with aggressive expansion strategies, particularly in smaller towns. While the value retail segment thrives, retailers must now focus on governance and technology alongside expansion as the market becomes more disciplined.
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Indias dark stores boom beyond metros
INDIA NEWS | Mon, 22 Dec 2025, 12:39AM IST
New Delhi: About a third of quick-commerce dark stores in India are currently located in tier-2 cities and smaller towns, reflecting retailers' shift for the new-age channel beyond the metros.The total tally of dark stores is expected to grow nearly threefold to 7,500 by 2030 from about 2,525 as of October, according to data from property consultancy Savills India, shared with ET. "Tier-1 and 2 cities will lead this expansion, while tier-3 cities will emerge as high-potential markets, with secondary and suburban micro markets playing a key role in balancing cost and accessibility," Savills said in a report.The surge in dark stores is part of a broader trend in India's quick-commerce market, which has grown at an unprecedented pace in recent years. In terms of total area, the market is expected to expand nearly three times to 38 million sq ft from 13 million, as businesses seek to cater to booming demand for ultra-fast delivery.India's dominance in this sector is underscored by growth across the entire Asia-Pacific region, which remains the largest and fastest-growing market for quick-commerce globally. Countries like China and India are leading the quick commerce wave due to their huge consumer bases, advanced delivery networks, and increasing smartphone penetration.Eternal alone added around 1,200 dark stores last year. "More than 70-75% of our store additions continue to be in the top 10 cities. While the number of cities is expanding, the number of stores in long-tail cities remains relatively small. So, the business's success is still tied to how well we perform in the top 8 to 10 cities," said Akshant Goyal, chief financial officer of Eternal, the parent of Blinkit, during a recent investor call.126109383Demand for opening dark stores is continuing to outstrip supply, with a notable 50% gap between required and operational spaces, said Savills, adding it offers a major opportunity to property developers and investors looking to capitalise on this fast-growing sector.Earlier this year, Unilever global CEO Fernando Fernandez said he expects quick commerce to contribute 10-15% sales in India in the next three-four years, from 2-3% currently. "India is a very special place because richer Indians and poorer Indians live in close proximity that basically provide demand and supply of labour, making quick commerce a logical channel to grow," he said, adding the mix in the channel is better and favourable for margin improvement.Dinesh Taluja, chief financial officer, Reliance Retail, said during the company's September earnings call that dark stores are typically focused on larger cities where traffic congestion and delivery time constraints limit store distribution. However, Reliance also operates more than 3,000 grocery stores, filling in gaps in the network where dark stores are not yet viable, he said."In bigger cities, you cannot go beyond one to two kilometres for delivery because of traffic. So, dark stores are focused on filling those network gaps, particularly in dense locations where delivery expectations are high," said Taluja. The National Capital Region (NCR) that includes Delhi, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Noida, and Faridabad has the largest concentration with 400 dark stores. Other cities include Bengaluru with 360 stores, Mumbai with 250 stores, and Chennai with 190.Bengaluru, which has high e-commerce penetration, leads with 150 sq ft of dark store space per 1,000 people.
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INDIA BUSINESS | Mon, 22 Dec 2025, 12:39AM IST
Quick-commerce dark stores are expanding beyond metros, with a third now in tier-2 cities and smaller towns. The total number of dark stores is projected to nearly triple to 7,500 by 2030, driven by demand for ultra-fast delivery. This growth presents a significant opportunity for property developers and investors in the rapidly expanding sector.
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India stands out as Asia-Pacific office markets slow
INDIA BUSINESS | Mon, 22 Dec 2025, 12:31AM IST
India's office market stands out in Asia-Pacific with robust leasing activity, projected to exceed 80 million sq ft in 2025. Driven by GCC expansion and the tech sector, the country's Grade A stock now surpasses 1 billion sq ft. Bengaluru, Mumbai, and NCR lead rental growth, reinforcing India's position as a cost-competitive consolidation hub.
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They say AI is the future; now it predicts your future too
INDIA BUSINESS | Mon, 22 Dec 2025, 12:30AM IST
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing India's online astrology sector. Some platforms use AI for initial customer interactions and to assist human astrologers. Others, like AstroSage, have fully embraced AI astrologers, handling thousands of clients simultaneously. This technological shift is boosting efficiency and revenue, though some still prioritize human connection for deeper understanding.
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AI can now predict your future too
INDIA NEWS | Mon, 22 Dec 2025, 12:30AM IST
Bengaluru: Astrology in India is no longer just written in the stars; it's coded in algorithms. AI is rapidly reshaping the country's online astrology market, but platforms are divided on how far to let automation go.Some platforms, like Astroyogi and InstaAstro, are using AI in the first layer of customer interactions or as a behind-the-scenes assistant to improve efficiency, sharpen tone, sensitise responses and match users to an expert. Others, like AstroSage, have gone all in, deploying AI astrologers that can juggle thousands of clients simultaneously, raking in revenues at a much faster clip.Take Mr Krishnamurti, an AI astrologer with 765,000-plus followers, one of the biggest draws on the AstroSage app. The "31-year veteran", a "distinguished authority on KP astrology", has handled up to 1,000 clients at once. He's one of the 25 AI astrologers on AstroSage, giving thousands of human practitioners a run for their money. 126109290Punit Pandey, founder of AstroSageAi, says their AI revenue has been growing 20% month-on-month. It already accounts for 25% of their overall business, in just about 16 months since its launch in August 2024. Their AI astrologers leverage large language models (LLM) and Avatar technology, besides which the company has fine-tuned its own tech models to bring in conversational capabilities. "We have AI astrologers specialising in startup and VC funding, legal, love etc and those following different schools of astrology including Vedic, Lal Kitab, Western. A single AI astrologer can take umpteen calls and chats simultaneously. From the business perspective, it makes more sense," says Pandey.So far, AI astrologer ratings have also been better than their human counterparts, he says.AI leveragedOther platforms too are actively using artificial intelligence, but more as an assistive tool. Emotional nuance and human connection remain irreplaceable, they say. Nitin Verma, founder & CEO of InstaAstro, says while they use AI to improve customer engagement, they don't charge for AI-powered astrology. "We feel the human connection is important; an astrologer needs to understand the intricacies of a person's life situation."However, InstaAstro equips astrologers with AI tools to be more efficient. This includes giving them access to deeper domain knowledge or helping sensitise astrologers' responses to clients. "It happens in real time-there could be prompts asking astrologers to soften their tone, or to come to the point, if s/he has deviated from the client's original query."Going forward, InstaAstro is also looking to deploy AI tools to open up options. So, for instance, a Hindi-speaking astrologer will be able to converse in other languages; or connect culturally with clients in different countries.Some like Astroyogi are using AI as the first-touch. Earlier this year, the online astrology platform conducted a survey, where about 10% of respondents said they would be comfortable accepting AI as a solution-giver to their problems. Acting on this feedback, about two months ago, Astroyogi rolled out a pilot where AI is being used as a first layer in the consultation process to handle entry-level queries. Based on that, the client is matched to the correct human expert."We are still building it; only about 5% of our client base has been exposed to it so far," says Aditya Verma, chief growth officer at Astroyogi. Early indications show a positive trend, and it results in more astrologers, beyond the top 30-35%, getting more business, he says.
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Trai stands firm on compliance with 12-minute ad cap
INDIA BUSINESS | Mon, 22 Dec 2025, 12:24AM IST
TRAI insists broadcasters must follow the 12-minute per hour advertising limit. This rule remains active even as the matter is in court. Broadcasters argue this will hurt the struggling TV sector. TRAI is reviewing broadcaster responses before deciding on further action. The next court hearing is scheduled for January 27, 2026.
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Credit weighs less on cards with RBI tightening norms
INDIA BUSINESS | Mon, 22 Dec 2025, 12:21AM IST
Credit card outstandings, despite fewer delinquencies, fell to 4.7% of total retail loans in October 2025, from 5% a year earlier, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data showed. Growth in outstanding credit card balances within total retail loans slowed sharply to 7.7% in October 2025, from 16.9% a year earlier.
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Avatar Sequel Is Neither Fire Nor Ash at North American Box Office
GLOBAL NEWS | Mon, 22 Dec 2025, 12:07AM IST
Avatar: Fire and Ash took in $88 million over the weekend, a sizable No. 1 total that nonetheless fell 34 percent behind the opening for its franchise predecessor.
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Metro rail services begin in Bhopal
INDIA NEWS | Sun, 21 Dec 2025, 10:37PM IST
Bhopal: On the first day of the commercial run of the Metro services in Bhopal on Sunday, hundreds of residents enthusiastically took rides, expressing confidence that it will save time and provide relief from traffic jams.An official said that the Metro's first service began at 9 am from the AIIMS station, and by 6 pm, 5,731 people had travelled on the new mass-transit corridor.He said that people, along with their family members, had been lining up for tickets since early morning. Several users were seen taking selfies and photos inside the Metro rakes and at stations.Earlier on Saturday, Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav inaugurated the Metro service by flagging off a train from Subhash Nagar station on a 7.5-kilometre stretch, called the "Priority Corridor".With this, Bhopal became the 26th city in the country and the second city in Madhya Pradesh, after Indore, to have the Metro service.Rao Singh, who took a Metro ride, told PTI Videos that besides saving time and money, the new mode of transport will provide relief from traffic jams and pollution.Another passenger, who identified himself as Chetan, said he was happy that Bhopal is now on the "Metro list".Office-goers will benefit a lot due to the Metro service, said a young man named Akshay.While the estimated cost of the 30.8-km-long Bhopal Metro project is Rs 10,033 crore, a sum of Rs 2,225 crore was spent on the 'Priority Corridor', according to officials.
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Metro services begin in Bhopal; excited residents flock to take rides, selfies
INDIA BUSINESS | Sun, 21 Dec 2025, 10:37PM IST
Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav inaugurated the Metro service by flagging off a train from Subhash Nagar station on a 7.5-kilometre stretch, called the "Priority Corridor".
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INDIA BUSINESS | Sun, 21 Dec 2025, 10:36PM IST
Kashmir is now connected to the national freight rail network. The first Food Corporation of India foodgrain freight train arrived at Anantnag Goods Terminal. This marks a significant integration for the region. The train carried approximately 1,384 tonnes of rice. This development ensures efficient foodgrain supply to the Valley. It will also reduce transportation costs and boost local markets.
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