Innholdsfortegnelse for 23 November 2025 i Business Today

► INDIA’S it sector is facing a defining moment. The sentiment was echoed by Wipro’s CEO & MD Srini Pallia in an analyst call on April 16 after FY25 results. He had been in the top job for a little over a year. There was understandably a lot of attention. The tone was measured, but his words did not hide worries over tepid growth and margin pressures. His guidance—tracked most closely—talked about the uncertainty and how clients could take a measured approach, especially on transformational projects and discretionary spending. “With this in mind, and based on our current visibility, we are guiding for a sequential growth rate of -3.5% to -1.5% in constant currency terms,” he said. Cut to July 17. Little had changed. In a call following the results for…

When Prashant Kumar, a seasoned State Bank of India veteran, took charge of the troubled YES Bank after its 2020 restructuring, it was in a shambles. Five years later, Kumar is on a six-month extension till April 2026, setting the stage for Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) to select his successor. This chapter will test YES Bank’s ability to steer towards sustained growth and align with SMBC’s global vision. At the bank’s Mumbai headquarters, Kumar sat down with BT to discuss the bank’s future. Edited excerpts: On the wave of deals in the banking sector There is a clear need to create larger banks in India to support the ambitious growth target set by the government. We have seen significant consolidation among public banks, but in the private sector, the only…

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold: Foldable, But Not Flawless ► AFTER A COUPLE OF shaky starts, Google’s third attempt at a foldable phone finally feels like it belongs. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold, priced at `1,72,999, isn’t here to reinvent the category, but it does enough to prove that Google has learned from its missteps. This is a foldable that feels durable, polished and ready for everyday life. Open it up and you’re greeted with a pair of excellent displays. The 6.4-inch outer OLED panel now feels roomier, while the 8-inch inner LTPO OLED screen impresses with rich contrast, 120Hz smoothness and high brightness that holds up even in harsh sunlight. The bezels and crease are still visible but far less distracting. Performance comes via Google’s new Tensor G5 chip,…

AT THE ABB Smart Power factory in Nelamangala, Bengaluru, the quality inspection process is no longer manual. An artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled camera takes pictures of the finished moulded case circuit breaker (MCCB) from five sides and checks against the algorithm for defects such as terminal thickness, height, printing errors and scratches. Only when all the parameters are met—no smudged text, printing error or structural damage—is the MCCB cleared for packaging. Saju SR, Senior Vice President, Smart Power Division, ABB India, claims zero returns since the system was implemented. The system has brought a level of precision that is impossible for a human being. ABB is not alone. AI—from being focused largely on software functions—is finding its way to physical environments such as factory shop floors and warehouses as well. At…

THE OPENING OF the two greenfield airports this December—the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) and the Noida International Airport (NIA)—could be a watershed moment in Indian aviation. They are poised to grant Mumbai and Delhi a transformative twin-airport model, akin to Dubai’s DXB–DWC, London’s Heathrow–Gatwick, and New York’s JFK–Newark, positioning them as a dualhub ecosystem on the global aviation map. Also, it’s the first time since 2008 that two greenfield airports will be operationalised in the same year. The last time was Bengaluru and Hyderabad; the former is also getting ready to welcome a second airport to cater to the growing passenger numbers. The new airports in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and the National Capital Region (NCR) will also enhance regional connectivity and complement the massive expansion plans of…

FROM SUPPLY CHAIN disruptions in Asia to policy changes in the West to operational instability and burgeoning technology, no event is distant for business leaders. They, in turn, are fraught with an additional challenge—geopolitical fluency. A word in the boardroom, a decision on the factory floor, or a post on social media can send ripples. The question is no longer if leaders should respond to geopolitics, but how. CHANGING CAPABILITIES “There are numerous geopolitical challenges that are impacting the ways chief executives view the global economy,” says Yezdi Nagporewalla, CEO, KPMG in India. He explains that organisations that adopt fresh approaches to supply chain management, technology integration, and workforce development can not only mitigate the negative effects of geopolitical shifts but also seize new competitive advantages. “By fostering a culture of…

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IS fast becoming an engine of global growth, and India is gearing up to take the driver’s seat. The Business Today AI Summit brought together the country’s most influential policymakers, business leaders, and researchers to define India’s AI roadmap for the decade ahead. As AI reshapes economies, governance, and everyday life, the summit focused on how India could leverage its demographic scale and digital infrastructure to unlock a $500-billion opportunity. The event highlighted India’s ambition to not just adopt AI, but to lead the global AI revolution, empowering 1.4 billion citizens through inclusive and innovation-driven transformation. A flagship initiative of the India Today Group, the event was a platform for visionaries to explore how technology can accelerate GDP growth, enhance public services, and redefine competitiveness. With the government…

Global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is strengthening focus on areas such as oncology, cardiovascular, renal, rare diseases, and the emerging GLP-1 segment. In September, it announced its third tranche of investment in the country over the past two years. Praveen Rao Akkinepally, Country President and Managing Director, AstraZeneca Pharma India, spoke exclusively to Business Today about the policy environment, the company’s priorities, and how India fits into its long-term global plans. Edited excerpts: Q: How do you see AstraZeneca growing in India over the next three to five years? A: At AstraZeneca, our mission is to push the boundaries of science to deliver life-changing medicines, and this mission guides everything we do. In India, we see a lot of unmet needs across disease areas that we are already addressing through our…

FOUR-AND-A-HALF YEARS AGO, when Japanese banking giant Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) first tied up with US-based Jefferies Financial Group, it appeared to be yet another cross-border deal that combined the Japanese bank’s balance sheet strength with investment banking giant’s ability to close deals in the US and Europe. SMBC, part of the Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group—among the world’s leading financial institutions—operates with a global balance sheet of $2.1 trillion. Soon, the partnership was upgraded with SMBC raising its stake from 4.5% to nearly 20%. A similar playbook seems to be unfolding in India, where SMBC has raised its stake in YES Bank to 24.2% in two tranches, with the first transaction for a 20% stake pegged at over `13,000 crore, emerging as its largest shareholder. For mid-sized private lender YES…

IN OCTOBER 2025, Kaynes Semicon Pvt. Ltd. became the first Indian company to package and ship multi-chip modules to a global client, California-based Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Inc., under the India Semiconductor Mission. Kanyes Semicon and its parent, Mysuru-based electronics manufacturer Kaynes Technology Ltd., are now aiming higher. As India sets its sights on becoming a $500 billion electronics manufacturer by FY30, they want to climb up the electronics value chain. Kaynes Technology and Kaynes Semicon have applied under three categories of the newly launched Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) to make semiconductor capacitors, full-camera modules and display modules. “The camera solutions in the market today are mostly based on Chinese components or off-theshelf semiconductors,” says Raghu Panicker, Chief Executive Officer of Kaynes Semicon. “With our camera module solution, we…

Priyank Kharge, Karnataka’s Minister for Information Technology and Biotechnology, on how the state continues to dominate India’s technology and innovation landscape. Edited excerpts: On Karnataka’s leadership in India’s innovation economy Of about 110 unicorns in the country, more than 47 are based in Karnataka. Over half of India’s deep-tech startups are leveraging technology from the state. Around 40% of the country’s engineering and research and development talent is from Karnataka, and 38% of semiconductor design comes from here. We are ranked fifth globally among AI cities and eighth in the global startup ecosystem. In aerospace and defence manufacturing, we contribute 65%. Karnataka has historically been the first mover in policy innovation, laying the groundwork for India’s tech revolution. When Karnataka first introduced its IT policy, people mocked it, asking, ‘aisi…