TMSEp528: Super-app WhatsApp, Chinese TV market, OCI cards and more

After reaching over 40% of India’s population over the past decade, WhatsApp now plans to capitalize on its massive popularity. Parent company Meta is all set to roll out WhatsApp Flows in India. This allows users to make purchases from businesses via chat, without having to switch between apps. Where is WhatsApp going? Will it be India’s first super app?

Did you know that WhatsApp is banned in neighboring China? It could have been as big a market for Meta as India. Further afield, Chinese electronics brands are facing stiff competition in India. The market share of Chinese TVs has been declining for some time. While Indian electronic wearables also continue to bleed their Chinese competitors. Abhijeet Kumar looks for the latest trends and discovers the reasons behind this phenomenon.

The Indian financial markets are now in the grip of unrest. The rise in crude oil prices and fears that global interest rates will remain high for some time have rattled stock markets. Add to that the ongoing diplomatic rift between India and Canada and you get a recipe for high volatility. But what exactly does this geopolitical tension mean for the markets and how much impact can it have?

Staying with the theme of the India-Canada rift, reports of New Delhi considering canceling the registration of some overseas Indian Citizenship or OCI card holders for carrying out pro-Khalistan activities are now doing the rounds. But what are OCI cards? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.