Latest news with #Mehra
New Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
India-UK FTA: Premium push while safeguarding domestic interest
India has granted limited access to UK-based carmakers under the FTA, offering significant import duty cuts and large quotas for high-end vehicles in the initial years. However, the concessions are more restrictive for mainstream luxury cars, and UK manufacturers will be barred from entering India's electric vehicle market for the first five years. The duty reductions and quotas primarily apply to vehicles with large engine capacities (petrol engines above 3000 cc and diesel engines above 2500 cc) in the initial years of the FTA. These vehicles typically cost over Rs 1 crore and constitute a negligible share of India's car market. Industry experts suggest that even with lower duties and reduced prices, the impact on domestic automakers will remain minimal. Saket Mehra, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat said that the FTA will make British luxury brands more accessible to Indian consumers, while maintaining protections for the mass-market segment through price thresholds and origin rules. 'A key provision is the phased reduction of import duties on UK-built passenger vehicles- from over 100% to 10% - under a quota system. In FY24, India imported passenger vehicles worth approximately USD 78.3 million from the UK, a figure expected to rise significantly under the new tariff regime,' stated Mehra. Saurabh Agarwal, Partner and automotive tax leader at EY India, said the agreement is designed with safeguards to protect domestic players, including import quotas and rules of origin, helping maintain a balance between trade liberalisation and industry stability. 'The move could also give a technological edge to the Indian auto market, especially in the high-end segment where imports continue to play a key role in bridging capability gaps,' added Agarwal. The FTA also ensures that the number of vehicles from ICE engines will be deducted by the number of EV vehicles getting concessions from the 6th year onwards to maintain the total quota volume of 37,000 units at the end of 15 years of duty concession. For cars priced below £40,000 (cost, insurance and freight (CIF)), no market access is provided, ensuring complete protection for the mass-market EV segment. Cheers for JLR and other British brands The FTA is expected to boost British luxury car brands in India by lowering prices of some highly sought-after models. Tata Motors' British subsidiary JLR, which is expected to benefit most from the FTA, said that over time the trade pact will deliver reduced tariff access to the Indian car market for JLR's luxury vehicles. Last fiscal, JLR emerged as the third-largest luxury carmaker in India by selling 6,183 units. Around 60% of the cars JLR sells in India, including popular models in the Range Rover portfolio - Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Velar and Evoque - are locally produced in India through the CKD (completely knocked down) route, attracting a lower tax.
Mint
2 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Nifty 50, Sensex today: What to expect from Indian stock market in trade on July 28
The Indian stock market benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, are likely to see a muted opening on Monday, tracking mixed global market cues. The trends on Gift Nifty also indicate a tepid start for the Indian benchmark index. The Gift Nifty was trading around 24,832 level, a discount of nearly 18 points from the Nifty futures' previous close. On Friday, the Indian stock market ended with sharp losses, with the benchmark Nifty 50 closing below 24,900 level. The Sensex crashed 721.08 points, or 0.88%, to close at 81,463.09, while the Nifty 50 settled 225.10 points, or 0.90%, lower at 24,837.00. Here's what to expect from Nifty 50 and Bank Nifty today: Nifty 50 broke the key support level of 24,880 and formed a big bearish candle on the daily chart, signalling weakness. On the weekly scale, the Nifty 50 slipped 0.53%, highlighting a broader weakening trend. 'Nifty 50 closed below its 50-Day simple moving average (SMA) for the first time in several weeks. Meanwhile, the gap between the 9-day and 20-day EMAs has begun to widen, indicating a strengthening bearish outlook in the short term. The index also breached the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level drawn from the previous swing low to high, which was placed near 24,920, signaling a potential breakdown of the recent recovery attempt,' said Om Mehra, Technical Research Analyst, SAMCO Securities. Additionally, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the daily chart stands at 40, while the MACD continues to widen its gap between the fast and slow lines. 'The earlier 'buy-on-dip' approach may now give way to a 'sell-on-rise' strategy unless the index manages to reclaim and sustain above the crucial 25,200 level, which would be necessary to revive the upward trajectory,' Mehra said. Dr. Praveen Dwarakanath, Vice President of noted that the Nifty 50 index has closed near the lower Bollinger Band, a support from which can push the index upside. 'The momentum indicators in today's fall have come into the oversold region, which can also push the markets upside from current levels. The index is also at a strong weekly Buy level between 24,600 - 24,800, a bounce from this level can present a strong selling opportunity near the 25,200 levels,' said Dwarakanath. According to VLA Ambala, Co-Founder of Stock Market Today, Nifty 50 crossed its 50-day EMA, which was a key technical support for short-term traders. 'Following this breach, I advise traders to adopt a sell-on-rise strategy. Investors focused on industrial sector ETFs might consider the 24,500 level as an initial entry point. Considering these factors, we can expect the Nifty 50 to gain support between 24,720 and 24,500 and meet resistance near 24,980 and 25,050,' Ambala said. Bank Nifty index declined 537.15 points, or 0.94%, to close at 56,528.90 on Friday. For the week, Bank Nifty registered a modest gain of 0.44%. 'From a technical standpoint, the weekly price action has resulted in the formation of a Gravestone Doji candlestick pattern, which typically signals indecision in the market and a potential reversal when it appears after an up-move. This pattern, coupled with the repeated failure to breach resistance, suggests caution in the near term, with the need for a strong breakout to resume upward momentum,' said Sudeep Shah, Head - Technical and Derivatives Research, SBI Securities. Going ahead, according to Shah, the zone of 57,300 - 57,400 is likely to continue to act as a crucial hurdle for the Bank Nifty index, while on the downside, the zone of 56,200 - 56,100 will act as important support as it is the confluence of the 50-day EMA and prior swing low. 'Any sustainable move below the level of 56,100 will lead to further selling pressure in the Bank Nifty index upto the level of 55,500 in the short term,' Shah said. Puneet Singhania, Director at Master Trust Group highlighted that the Bank Nifty index closed below its 21-day EMA, indicating short-term weakness. 'However, the broader trend remains positive, with the 55-day EMA holding firm near the 56,000 level and the index still trading above its ascending trendline. This suggests the current dip presents a buying opportunity. Strong support is seen at 56,000; a breach below this may lead to a decline toward 55,300. On the upside, 57,100 is the immediate resistance,' Singhania said. A breakout above this level could trigger fresh buying momentum, potentially pushing the Bank Nifty index toward 57,600 and new all-time highs, he added. Hrishikesh Yedve, AVP Technical and Derivative Research, Asit C. Mehta Investment Interrmediates said that the Bank Nifty index breached its 50-DEMA support and formed a bearish candle on the daily chart, reflecting sustained selling at higher levels. 'Last week's low of Bank Nifty is placed near 56,200, which will now act as the next crucial support. Until the index decisively crosses 57,320, traders are advised to book profits on bounces and wait for a clear breakout for fresh upside momentum,' Yedve said. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
Pink Villa
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
PICS: Karan Veer Mehra was doing THIS with Bakhtyar Irani before gaining Pavitra Rishta and Bigg Boss fame
Karan Veer Mehra has gained popularity in the industry with his roles in multiple TV shows. The actor landed his breakthrough part in Pavitra Rishta and later made appearances in the reality shows, such as Khatron Ke Khiladi and Bigg Boss. While the TV star's fans adore his work and presence onscreen, what they don't know is that Mehra worked as a theater artist alongside Bakhtiyaar Irani. Taking to his Instagram, the TV star reposted a throwback picture, alongside Irani, his wife, Tannaz Irani, Kishwer Merchant, and Sandiip Sikcand. Karan Veer Mehra's theater days in pictures Mehra, in the picture shared on his social media, gracefully posed for the camera while donning a brown printed t-shirt, denim jeans, and shoes. The actor stood alongside his fellow cast members, showing off his no-beard look. Above the photo, the reality show star wrote, 'Omg… what fun our play Daddy Cool.' He also tagged the other actors visible in the frame. In the following slide of his social media stories, the actor shared another picture, which looks like the poster shoot for the play. In the photo, the star cast is lined up, one after the other, dressed up as their characters. In the caption, Mehra mentioned, 'Tannaz the mom, Sandy the dad, and Karan and Bakhtyar bros and their gfs." After spending a good amount of time doing theater, Karan made his small-screen debut in 2004, with the show titled Remix. The actor starred alongside Karan Wahi and Shweta Gulati. In the following years, Mehra starred in ample TV shows, such as Sssshhh Phir Koi Hai, Aahat, Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo, Bade Ache Lagte Hain, Pavitra Rishta and Ziddi Dil Maane Na. Karan Veer Mehra's upcoming projects As for his new projects, Karan Veer Mehra will make an appearance in the upcoming film, Silaa. The movie is directed by Omung Kumar, and the actor will be seen in the negative role, co-starring Harshvardhan Rane and Sadia Khateeb. Opening up about his new film, Mehra revealed in an interview, 'I met Omung sir at the Bigg Boss house and told him I'd like to work with him. After winning the show, I contacted him again and asked to be a part of the magnum opus he was working on, and he happily agreed." The details about the release date of Silaa will be rolled out soon.
Mint
6 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Creators find a new calling: corporate AI trainers
Ansh Mehra, 27, is on the verge of reaching 1 million followers across Instagram and YouTube. But unlike other influencers, the computer science engineering graduate, who once worked at Swiggy, isn't worried about follower count. Instead, he has found a booming niche: artificial intelligence training for top corporations. India's largest private financial services group HDFC, Reliance Industries Ltd and British energy conglomerate Shell are among the world's top 75 firms by market value that are increasingly enlisting experts with deep AI knowledge to train their employees. Surging demand for their skills allows creators and consultants like Mehra to secure up to ₹25 lakh in a few weeks. Mehra has been running his AI training venture, The Cutting Edge School, for the past three years. He is currently conducting a workshop for over 1,000 employees for a top retail firm–he refused to identify the client, citing a non-disclosure agreement. 'Most companies that come to us have three key problems that they want solved: one, their employees are still using outdated tools for functions such as marketing, content creation and outreach; two, most of them are not using AI the way it should be; and three, giving the right prompts to ensure that privacy and security of individuals is maintained," Mehra said. Demand for AI upskilling has exploded globally as the technology becomes part of corporate workflow across sectors. India, too, will need more than 1 million skilled AI workers within the next 12 months to keep up with the pace of AI adoption by companies and for the country to achieve its target of generating $35 billion of domestic product by 2047, a report by the ministry of electronics and information technology (Meity) said earlier this month. AI tools to strategy In most cases, trainers are identified because of their social media content or CXO references based on years of experience in AI. Courses offered cost ₹6-25 lakh for courses running for four to six weeks, and the number of participating employees can go as high as 1,000. These courses mostly cover primers on the fundamentals of AI, and hands-on guides on how to make the most of popular tools such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, Microsoft's Copilot, Adobe's Firefly, and more. Companies are separately upskilling individual leaders to gain a deeper understanding of AI policy, lessons from lawsuits around the world, and strategies for how the technology can either add value or reduce costs. These courses typically cost ₹5,000-25,000 per person per week. Mehra's courses typically run for four weeks, and his 25-member team conducts 12 of them in a year—but aims to do more as demand ramps up. 'There is deep demand from companies for AI upskilling, and this demand is unlikely to die down," said Kashyap Kompella, a veteran AI consultant. 'The courses range from offering an introduction into the variety of AI tools available for various tasks, understanding their limitations and scope, the ethics and legality of it, and their applicability across the board—be it data analytics or for content generation." Kompella is conducting a six-week immersive AI training programme for more than 5,000 employees of a top Indian financial services firm. 'When used by capable individuals, AI can significantly enhance both personal and team productivity," he said. 'However, its impact depends heavily on how well users can collaborate with the technology. Companies are waking up to this today, and that is leading to heavy demand from conglomerates." Shell cited its silent period in response to Mint's query, but acknowledged that the company is working with external consultants for AI upskilling across functions. HDFC Mutual Fund, Reliance Retail and Nestle did not respond to emailed queries. Mid-career demand Sridev Ramesh, 29, who cofounded AI developer and engineering content platform 100xEngineers, offers courses to mid-career corporate professionals keen to learn how best to use popular AI tools to augment existing work in professions such as digital marketing, content generation and more. 'The biggest takers for our AI upskilling courses are aged 30-35, and are mid-career corporate professionals from across domains who are either trying to catch up on AI skills, or gain a deeper understanding of how it can affect their work," he said. 'We just began our fifth cohort—which has about 200 takers. While students pay about ₹1.1 lakh for this six-month online-only course, working professionals are charged up to ₹1.4 lakh for it." While Ramesh, who holds a distance learning degree in astrophysics engineering from The Open University, UK, has offered custom AI upskilling programmes to companies, he prefers the open registration route where his courses are not tied to any particular firm. 'We offered an internal upskilling course for using AI for digital marketing use cases at Netflix. But, most companies need a customized programme for a set number of employees—we prefer to offer our own course, and there is a huge demand for them at our end," said Ramesh. 'We currently limit registrations at up to 200 candidates per cohort because that is our bandwidth—all the training is provided by my cofounder and I." Queries emailed by Mint to Netflix remained unanswered till press time. Varun Mayya, 32, provides content and marketing courses through his agency Aeos Media. In the past year, the firm has offered AI video creation training and consultancy services to Godrej Properties, Amazon Prime Video and two major media conglomerates, among others, he said. Godrej Properties and Amazon have yet to respond to Mint's emailed queries. 'Our multi-week AI training programmes can extend up to ₹15 lakh for an internal corporate session, depending on the number of attendees and what is expected from us," Mayya said. 'We only stick to our area of expertise in AI training—AI content generation and marketing." Creators and consultants say the demand for AI upskilling is here to stay. 'We're only just discovering AI, and the field itself is actively evolving. Going forward, demand for education is certain to sustain for long—and those making the early moves can either delve deeper to offer greater expertise and certification in the long run," said 100xEngineers' Ramesh. According to Kompella, CXOs 'are only beginning to realize that understanding AI is imperative, and it is better done sooner than later". Surface-level training There is, however, some scepticism. Jibu Elias, India head for responsible computing at Mozilla, said the generative AI hype is driving corporate leaders to AI training and many courses largely skim the 'surface level usage of commercial tools". 'Tech companies also have vested interests in getting future users familiarised with their ecosystems early on—we've seen this playbook before," said Elias. 'But, what we're likely to see going forward is a shift from basic tool-training toward deeper education in context-specific AI reasoning, ethical judgment, and system integration. The role of the AI trainer isn't disappearing, but it will need to evolve just as fast as the tools themselves." Mehra of The Cutting Edge School, however, does not expect demand for corporate AI trainers to cool anytime soon. 'In most of our training courses, we see that established corporate employees are still sketchy on the best ways to use AI," he said. 'As long as the field of AI keeps evolving, those on the cutting-edge of the technology will always find demand from larger corporations, seeking help with upskilling their workforce."
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Business Standard
22-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
F-1 visa crisis: What Indians stranded in US visa-loan-tuition loop do
Thousands of Indian students admitted to top US universities are stuck in uncertainty, with F-1 visa appointment slots still unavailable and orientation dates just weeks away. One student, who says he's been accepted to a top-15 US business school, recently posted on Reddit, 'Orientation starts August 11 and classes begin August 25. My school is flexible, but I can't pay tuition without a loan, and my loan needs a visa appointment to be disbursed.' Visa-loan-tuition loop leaves students stranded Education consultants say this situation is becoming increasingly common among late-admit students, particularly at postgraduate level. 'Many late admit students are struggling, and the demand for slots is far outpacing supply,' Mary Gogoi, head of admissions at eduVelocity Global, told Business Standard. What can students do in case of such a scenario? Ankit Mehra, co-founder and CEO of GyanDhan, explained that most lenders—both banks and NBFCs—can release education loans partially or fully even before the visa is issued. 'If a B-school requests upfront payment, students can work with the lender to arrange the necessary funds,' he told Business Standard. For students worried about visa delays or rejections, he noted that universities usually offer one of two options: a refund or a deferral to the next available intake. 'In cases where the university does not offer a refund, the student remains responsible for repaying the disbursed loan as per lender terms,' Mehra said. His advice: Plan early. 'Students should proactively engage with the university's international admissions office to understand refund policies and deferral guidelines. The key is to plan for multiple scenarios in advance so financial commitments don't translate into long-term stress.' Advice to anxious students Gogoi urged students to stay alert and act fast. 'Check the portal multiple times daily, join Telegram alerts, and apply for an emergency slot if eligible. Notify your university—they may support with letters or deadline extensions. If possible, explore visa appointments in nearby countries,' she said. According to her, visa slots are being released inconsistently, but time is running out. 'If no appointment is secured soon, students may need to request a deferral, delayed start, or prepare for a Spring 2026 intake.' She also cautioned against relying on social media hearsay. 'Stay proactive and calm. Track appointment openings, keep your documents ready, and stay in touch with your university's DSO. Have a backup plan, and don't rely on rumours—only use official updates,' she said. Rising anxiety among Fall 2025 admits 'For many students, 2025 has become a year of high anxiety, especially for those aiming for Fall 2025 admissions, due to persistent visa appointment bottlenecks,' said Mehra. 'Yet, this is not the time to lose hope. The next 20 days are pivotal, as visa slots frequently open up in unpredictable waves.' He also said that Indian students may want to explore comparable programmes in countries like the UK, Canada, or Australia, where visa processing timelines are expected to be more stable this admissions cycle. With options dwindling, some students are now turning to the Indian government for help. Several student groups have reportedly submitted a letter to the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of External Affairs. 'About a 1,000 students have signed the appeal to request the release of more F-1 slots,' said one applicant on Reddit whose orientation begins August 20. Another student, whose classes start August 18 and orientation on August 9, said, 'I've been waiting for six months. There's still no slot.' With just days to go, students say they aren't asking for favours—just a fighting chance. 'We just want a fair shot to attend the schools we worked so hard to get into,' one said.
